The Taming of the Two: A Tony & Ziva Love Story
by rekkidbraka
Summary: The ongoing romantic / comedic / angsty adventures of Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David. CHAPTER form. UPDATE: "Loca" - Deeks? Jealous of Tony? NCIS:LA xover. TIVA meets Kensi/Deeks
1. In Repair

**-------------------- In Repair ---------------------**

_Now it was out there. _

_No sex since Jeanne. _

_In a way, Tony was glad to have confessed it to someone — ex-hooker or not — but otherwise, nothing had changed._

_He was still lonely._

_He was still celibate._

_He was still in love with Jeanne._

_He was still unsure about that last part._

-------------------------------------------

"Your new issue of FMH has arrived," Ziva said flatly, without looking up from her desk, when Tony arrived at NCIS headquarters around 7 a.m. "The pictorial of 'Beltway Bailout Babes' should be of particular interest to you, Tony. There are many interesting and, quite frankly, physically impractical poses involving naked women and strategically-placed dollar bills depicted."

Without a word, Tony sat down at his desk, flicked on the small lamp next to his computer, logged on and began pulling up some old records on the doctor he'd been investigating when he was Agent Afloat on the USS Seahawk months before. He frowned, staring intently at the computer screen, completely ignoring Ziva — and the glossy issue of FMH carefully propped up against some of his desk toys — in the process.

"And what is the matter?" Ziva asked, furrowing her black brow as she studied him. "Did you make up the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

"I have work to do, Ziva," Tony said, quietly and rather curtly, opening his desk drawer to remove a pen and notepad. Squinting at the screen before him, he jotted down something on the pad from the file displayed.

Ziva, stung by Tony's uncharacteristic moodiness, said nothing and turned back to the work she had been busy with since her arrival at 5 a.m. Swallowing harder than usual, she sighed quietly and tried to focus on the NCIS-issued list of known terror suspects she'd been cross-checking against that sent over by CID. But she couldn't help sneaking a look at her partner across the way, wondering what — or whom — was bothering Tony so much that he was doing... actual work.

-------------------------------------------

"OK, so Sister Margaret Frances and this 300-pound behemoth guy in the trucker's league one lane over totally got into it about who was the better bowler? All I'm saying is, Bowling Rule 15 — 'Never Dare A Right-Handed Nun To Pick Up a 7-10 Split Left-Handed Because The Big Guy Upstairs? Totally On HER Side.'"

Abby sat on McGee's desk, excitedly detailing the previous night's action at the bowling alley for Ziva and Tim. Tony worked silently and expressionless at his desk, tapping the keys on his computer. Balling up a piece of scrap paper, Abby hurled it Tony's way with the precision of a big league strikeout artist. Ziva and McGee snickered when it banked off the side of Tony's head, bouncing onto the floor beside his desk. Cocking her head to the side, Abby smirked in Tony's general direction.

"Nice shot, Abby," McGee said with a smile. "Then again, Tony's head is so big, how could you miss?" He flashed a friendly, joking grin at Tony, waiting for the inevitable comeback.

Tony said nothing, continuing only to write his report and stare at the computer.

"Hey... I was kidding, Tony," Abby said, a worried tone coming into her voice. "You okay?" She got up and moved towards his desk.

Saying nothing, Tony quickly logged off, stood and pushed past Abby as he hurriedly strode to the elevator. Pressing the "down" button, he entered the car without looking at his colleagues and the doors closed behind him.

"I never knew my heater had such an effect on people," Abby said sadly as McGee came up behind her and softly rubbed her slim shoulders. "I need a hug, Timmy" she said, turning to snuggle in Tim's warm embrace.

Ziva's eyes, fixed on the closed, silvery elevator doors, narrowed as she folded her arms. "McGee, tell Gibbs I will return shortly."

"Where should I tell the boss you went?" Tim asked. "I mean, if he wants to know?"

"Out," Ziva said, heading for the elevator.

-------------------------------------------

"You are wearing your emotions on your shirt," Ziva said, visibly startling Tony as she approached him unseen from behind. "But you are hurting the people who care most for you."

Tony sat on the wooden bench, staring at the building across the street. His jaw tightened.

"How'd you know I'd be here?" he asked.

"This is where she worked. It is special to you."

"Was special."

"Is," Ziva corrected, softly.

Tony looked down. Drawing in a long breath, he exhaled slowly as he lifted his head and again considered the large structure opposite him.

"Was... Is... I'm not sure anymore."

"You loved her."

"I did. I thought."

"You did. You miss her."

"I did. I thought."

"You do."

"I have... missed her. I think."

"You had never been in love before."

"No. Maybe I wasn't, though, really."

Ziva took a minute to consider this. She, too, fixed her gaze on the building Tony was studying. People entered and exited its main doors with the regularity and bustle of ants servicing their queen.

"You were. You are afraid you will never love again."

Tony's eyes followed a slim woman wearing pink scrubs as she made her way out of the building. Her brown, shoulder-length hair was gently tossed aside by a breeze. The woman pushed it out of her face in an easy, casual way before turning the corner, disappearing out of Tony's sight.

"Yes."

Ziva, too, watched the young woman vanish in the distance as an ambulance, siren wailing, raced around the corner towards an entrance emblazoned with a bright red sign marked 'EMERGENCY'. A small group of people standing near the building watched as the paramedics hurriedly moved an elderly man wearing an oxygen mask through a set of automatic doors.

"You will."

-------------------------------------------

The camera phone picture wasn't perfectly clear but it was the best she had.

"He travels a lot. We do not often see each other but we keep in contact — e-mail, phone calls, whatever is easiest at the time."

"He's special to you."

"Yes. Of course."

"You miss him."

"I have... missed him."

"You love him."

"I do... Of course I love him." Ziva turned to look directly into Tony's eyes. "I love him as you loved Jeanne."

Tony studied her face, his wide blue eyes taking in every detail.

_You're afraid you'll never love him_, he thought. _Then you will 'love' him — just like I 'loved' Jeanne. _

_You won't._

-------------------------------------------

"Sorry I've been acting like such an ass today," Tony said, the first hint of a slight smile crossing his face. "I'm gonna make McGeek pay for that 'big head' comment," he snarled teasingly.

"He is not wrong," Ziva playfully replied.

"And, oh yeah, ZEE-va," Tony continued as if she'd never spoken, "nobody MAKES UP the wrong side of the BED — or wears their emotions ON THEIR SHIRT." He cocked an eyebrow at her. "You were making such progress. Now you're making Palmer look cool by comparison. Shameful... Really shameful." Tony shook his head, feigning sadness.

"You are feeling much better," she said. "I am sure the new issue of FMH will be completely 'researched' this evening for any editorial errors."

"If an expose on 'Beltway Bailout Babes' is how the government plans to throw cash at the nation's financial crisis, here's hoping the economy goes totally in the tank," Tony said, flashing the famous DiNozzo grin as they walked away from the bench. The hospital entrance was suddenly free of people, the exception, Tony noted, being the girl in pink scrubs having returned with a man in blue scrubs. The couple kissed as the automatic doors opened. Strangely, he felt nothing.

-------------------------------------------

Back at the office, everyone was gone for the day — surprising both of them — and the office was uncharacteristically dark.

"I am glad you are in a better mood than you were this morning when we were here together - alone," Ziva said, getting her purse from her desk drawer. "And I hope that you know we are your friends, Tony, and we all care about you. We worry about you."

"We?"

"Yes. All of us."

Tony eyed Ziva as she fumbled for her car keys in her purse. She was acting atypically uncomfortable in his presence.

"I'll walk you to your car."

"Thank you, but I can manage, Tony. You have had a long day. You should go home and get some sleep."

"It wasn't a request." Tony offered her his arm. Ziva hesitated a moment, her eyes searching his face, before slowly twining her arm with his. She squinted slightly, swallowing hard, as they moved toward the elevator together. The scent of his cologne excited her.

Tony pushed the "down" button and they waited, arm in arm, staring silently at the silvery doors. When the elevator arrived, Tony waited politely as Ziva entered and he followed, again offering her his arm. She took it, this time more confidently.

"Did you drive today, Tony?"

"Took the Metro. Sat next to a guy eating a breakfast burrito with extra salsa. He was a spiller. Got all over him, not me, thank God. This is a new shirt."

"I noticed. It looks good on you."

"Thanks," Tony said. Then, leaning over to whisper in her ear, he added "It looks good _off_ me, too."

Ziva smiled as the elevator doors closed.

-------------------------------------------

At the door, Tony felt as nervous as a teenager on a first date.

"Hey, thanks for the ride. I've honestly never felt so thankful to be, you know, alive."

"What is wrong with my driving?"

"What's RIGHT with it?"

"Gibbs has no problem with me behind the wheel."

"Consider the source."

They stared at each other, smiling, for a bit before Ziva finally broke the silence.

"You will be in early tomorrow? To work on whatever was so important to you today?"

"Be there at the crack of dawn. You know me."

"Dawn does not crack. It breaks."

"Same difference."

"Not exactly."

"You have plans Friday night?" Tony was surprised at his own forwardness. But it was out there now. He'd asked.

"No," Ziva said slowly. "I am free. Why?"

Tony looked down shyly before replying. "I was thinking... we could come back here, I could make dinner for you and ... we'd catch a couple movies? You know, to get you back up to speed before Palmer overtakes you." Tony's heart raced. This was harder than he remembered.

Ziva looked away, blushing. Suddenly, her cellphone buzzed. She didn't flinch.

"I would like that," she said, meeting Tony's gaze steadily with her own.

_You will_, he thought.

-------------------------------------------


	2. The One Thing

Title: The One Thing That My Heart Requires Is That You Admire Me

Author: rekkidbraka

Rating: T

Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.

Category: Romance

Disclaimer: No infringement intended.

Spoilers: None

Summary: Tony and Ziva's Friday night date revealed. Sexy TIVA

-------------------- The One Thing That My Heart Requires Is That You Admire Me ---------------------

In Ziva's small apartment, everything was silent as she studied the rack of silky dresses — most purchased through much persistent haggling in various Middle Eastern bazaars — before her. Her brown eyes carefully perused the full row, back and forth, until she at last settled on her personal favorite — an off-white vintage cut with a bright red floral pattern. She liked the way the creamy white contrasted with her dark skin and hoped Tony would as well. Most men found the combination irresistible. This impressed her, considering it wasn't a particularly revealing cut, cleavage-wise. She smiled, the irony not lost on her.

Removing the dress carefully from its wooden hanger, she laid it on her bed and began to change out of her work clothes. Checking the clock, she was happy to see she had plenty of time for a long, hot shower before Tony had said he'd "swing by" to pick her up. _SWING by? He will drive here,_ she thought, _not 'swing.' And HE considers MY speech odd._

Wrapping herself in a roomy towel, Ziva made her way to the bathroom, turned on the shower faucet and steam immediately fogged the mirror. Closing her eyes, she savored the moment — and the comforting heat — as she dropped the towel and prepared to step into the moist heat of the shower. The drumming of the shower stream calmed her.

Once in the shower, she finally relaxed, wetting her hair and body beneath the near-scorching water. She washed, gently, with her favorite scented body scrub. For a moment, she felt guilty for indulging herself. Back home in Israel, so many women just like her suffered atrocities and hardships each day...

She thought of this often, as everyone from her homeland did. It was another part of difficult daily life in her war-weary country.

But tonight she would allow herself some luxury — the pleasure of Tony's charming company.

Perhaps more.

-------------------------------------------

Tony's suit was... too small.

He hadn't gained weight, really, despite his love of vending machine snacks. His suits — all of them — were just a half-size tighter than they'd seemed when he first bought them. He wasn't sure why, except that they were all getting some age on them and he couldn't afford anything new. The tight suit problem annoyed him to no end every day at work and more so now that he was pressed for time getting ready to pick Ziva up for their date.

Grimacing into his full-length bedroom mirror, he cocked an eyebrow and adjusted his tie for the fifth time, trying to convince himself the suit didn't look that odd.

"Zhoo look MAH-veh-lus!" he said in a thick, mock-Latin accent to his reflection, a practiced fake smile crossing his handsome face.

Then, aggravated with the suit's unrelenting snugness, he snarled at the Tony staring back at him in the mirror, yanked harshly at the tie until he loosened it enough to undo it, flung it past his bed with the too-small jacket and furiously began unbuttoning his shirt. Tony growled audibly as he struggled to get the shirt off his arms — he'd forgotten to undo the cuffs first — and, after a few minutes of awkward fumbling to unbutton the cuffs, he pitched the shirt across the room in anger. Next, he whipped off his belt, sending it flying through the air, and yelped in real pain when he caught a highly sensitive body part in the pants zipper he too hurriedly yanked down. Whimpering, Tony fell back flat on his bed wearing only his boxer briefs and socks.

_Wouldn't it be easier to just START OUT every date naked?_, he thought, running his hand across the hair on his chest.

-------------------------------------------

She didn't hurry to open the door, even after the first couple of knocks.

_Cannot seem too excited_, she thought, her heart beginning to race. _Best to let the early bird come to the worm._

A few more knocks would do. He didn't have to know she was waiting right by the door, hand on the knob.

-------------------------------------------

_The HELL?_, he thought, wiping his palms on the front of his pants. _How long am I gonna have to knock?_

Obviously, she was ready. They _all_ did this. They _always_ did this — the "Oh, you're here?" waiting game.

Balling his fist to pound on the door, he suddenly stopped short and checked his watch. He'd wait _her_ out.

-------------------------------------------

Five minutes later, the door squeaked open.

"Tony?"

Ziva looked out into the hallway, seeing no one. Her stomach tightened; she felt as if the wind had been kicked out of her. Swallowing hard, she called out again.

"Tony? Tony, are you there?"

No response.

Drawing a sharp breath inward, she softly closed the door.

-------------------------------------------

Tears weren't an option. That much she'd learned from her father as a child.

_You do not cry, Ziva, you pick yourself up and you fight on..._

Staring out the window into the black night, Ziva fought as bravely as she'd been taught but found her emotions the most cunning, cruel enemy she'd faced. And when the hot streaks stained her impassive face she broke down, giving into the shame of feeling more alone than she could ever have imagined.

After a long while, the soft sound of tapping at the door broke through Ziva's silent weeping. Hurriedly wiping at her eyes, she quickly attempted to gather herself before trying to answer. If this was Tony...

... she wasn't sure what she'd say.

-------------------------------------------

"Honey, I'm home!" A dozen roses greeted Ziva in a teasing voice as her apartment door opened. She stared flatly at the bright red bouquet, her pink, watery eyes absolutely black and betraying no trace of emotion.

The roses moved aside slightly, revealing half of Tony's smiling face. Seeing Ziva's expression, his eyes went wide and his face became frozen with fear. The bouquet fell to the floor between the two of them as they stared at one another, just inches apart.

Suddenly, Ziva's lower lip quivered and her eyes narrowed. Swallowing hard, it was all she could do to breathe out the words.

"Damn you, Tony."

The door slammed in his face and his entire body went cold.

-------------------------------------------

"ZIVA! ZIVA, COME ON!" Tony pounded on the door, yelling as loud as he could. "DAMMIT, ZIVA! OPEN UP!"

No response.

A man down the hall opened his door, looking out into the hallway to check out the commotion. Tony turned to him, frustrated, and barked "Turns out she wanted CARNATIONS! Who the HELL knew?!!!" The man shook his head at Tony and went back inside.

Turning his attention back to the door staring him in the face, Tony snarled. _What the HELL is going on?_, he thought. _I got here EARLY._

"OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR NOW, ZIVA, OR I'LL BREAK IT DOWN! I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL! ZIVA! ZIVA!"

Hearing nothing, Tony backed toward the far hallway wall, primed his left shoulder to ram the door and, letting out an earsplitting "ZEEEEE-VAAAAAA!" to buck himself up for impact, ran full speed at the tall wooden frame before him ...

... and found himself accidentally tackling his date for the evening, the two of them hitting her hardwood floor in a harsh embrace, after she opened the door to see her partner's crazed face advancing towards her at an insane rate of speed, his eyes wild and his mouth agape in sudden terror.

-------------------------------------------

Whimpering, Tony ran his hand across the hair on his chest.

"It still hurts."

"Still?" Ziva's fingers meshed with Tony's as she snuggled against him, playing with his chest hair. "We worked out all the kicks, I thought." She kissed his shoulder.

"Kinks. Nobody works out kicks. And I wasn't properly braced for impact." Tony frowned, sniffling for sympathy. Ziva cocked an eyebrow, looking up at him.

"_You_ attacked _me_," Ziva said teasingly. "I was merely defending myself."

Tony smiled. "Yeah, well... if that's your 'D' scheme, I don't think I can handle what you're gonna bring on offense."

Ziva raised up on her elbow, looking quizzically into Tony's eyes.

"I do not understand."

Pulling her on top of him, Tony laughed. Stroking her cheek, then pushing her long black hair back, he drew her into a deep, tender kiss.

"You got plans Sunday?," Tony asked, breathing in suddenly, as Ziva gently straddled him, smiling.

"Do I?" Ziva's hair fell over her shoulder seductively.

"My couch. Big-screen TV. Be there or be McGee." Tony groaned as Ziva stroked his chest, their conversation ended for the moment.

-------------------------------------------

"OK, yeah... STILL hurts."

"I have done everything that I can, Tony."

"Not... everything."

"I will not do that."

"Ziva David, you dirty little assassin... Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Now THAT makes NO sense — ' your mind in a gutter?' — why would anyone...?"

"Hey, guy in pain here. STILL. Let's focus."

"You could not have hurt it when we fell. I cushioned you."

"You... oh yeah, you did. Heh."

"What have you been doing today? Before you came here? And where did you disappear to earlier?"

"Hmmm... Let's review: I went out to buy those roses you HATED. Big mistake. And now I'm in mortal pain for that."

"That cannot be the reason for your ... injury. What else were you up to this afternoon? Do NOT lie, Tony. I will know."

"I don't lie to you, Ziva."

"Never start."

"Never will."

"Well, I suppose we could try once more to ease your pain, Tony, if you have it in you."

"Oh, I have it in me, alright."

Ziva kissed Tony, snickering at his innuendo, when she suddenly pulled back. He stared at her, surprised.

"What?" Ziva reached past Tony, picking his dress pants off the floor. She studied them carefully.

"Your zipper. It is broken." Ziva smiled, her eyes taking in the length of Tony's body. "Ah, I see... You were injured by your own ... hand."

"_Dammit_, I gotta get some new suits."

-------------------------------------------


	3. Tighten Up

Title: Tighten Up

Author: rekkidbraka

Rating: T

Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.; Tim M. and Abby S.

Category: Romance

Disclaimer: No infringement intended.

Spoilers: None

Summary: Tony and Ziva enjoy a quiet Saturday, semi-together. TIVA and some McAbby

-------------------- Tighten Up ---------------------

_Ahhhhhh... Ahhhhhhhhh HA HA HAAAAAAAAAA..._

_Yeah, YOU know I got it... 52 inches of love, baby... Heh heh heh..._

_Ohhhhhh yeaaahhhh... OHHHH YEAAAAHHH...._

_That's right... Let daddy mount ya JUST like that and... OOOOOHHHHH... AAAAAAHHHH..._

_YEAH baby YEAH YEAH YEAH... Oh my GOD that is PERFECT... _

_Right there... RIGHT THERE... YESSSSSSSS..._

"Okay, cool. TV's all set. Now how the HELL do I program this remote?"

Snarling, Tony picked up his cellphone and scrolled through his speed dial settings.

"Hey hey HEY! Wake up call for Mr. Timothy McGeek!" After a few seconds' pause, he continued, "It's TONY, that's who, McGoo! Rise, shine and... stop by the coffee place on your way over here. I'll have a soy latte, easy on the sweetener. Get something for yourself, too, because breakfast really IS the most important meal of the day and... hello? HELLO?!!!"

-------------------------------------------

"So here's the deal -- they were out of soy at the coffee shop BUT... they totally had this killer-sounding new caramel spice pumpkin lacchiato and... we kinda got you that." Abby smiled, pushing a tall cup of something topped with whipped cream in Tony's face.

"Lacchiato? Is that even a _word_?" Tony sniffed the whipped cream, wrinkling his nose at the frilly drink, frowning.

"HEY!," Abby barked, knitting her brows as she grabbed Tony's Ohio State t-shirt by the collar, yanking him towards her. He nearly spilled the coffee. "Timmy and I went to a LOT of trouble to get up EARLY and come HERE to help YOU, Mister Speak And Spell Is That A Word Ungrateful Coffee Snob Who Can't Even Program A Stupid TV Remote! It's Saturday MORNING! People were SLEEPING, Tony! People were dreaming DREAMS about COOL stuff like BOWLING 300 GAMES and getting RIDES on Sister Mary Ignatius's SHOULDERS in CELEBRATION of such a great ACCOMPLISHMENT, OKAY?!!!"

Tony smiled, more than a little freaked out, showing as many teeth as possible. His eyes, wide and staring right into Abby's, slowly moved over in the direction of his couch.

"Uh... McGee? McGee? YO, TIM! Little HELP here?!!!" Abby tightened her grip on Tony's t-shirt. He coughed, then wheezed.

McGee, who'd been dozing on the couch, snorted, waking up with a start.

"I'm up!"

"Betcha don't hear _that_ often, Abs," Tony joked, snickering. Abby twisted the t-shirt around Tony's neck. He whimpered. "Kidding... I was... kidding... Can't... breathe..." Cocking an eyebrow at Tony, who was turning red in the face, Abby smirked.

"Diss my geek again, DiNozzo, and you're gonna need rabbit ears and aluminum foil to get a picture on that ginormous idiot box of yours."

Tony whimpered again, sticking out his lower lip and sniffling. McGee stretched, yawned and smiled at him from the couch.

-------------------------------------------

"What is that horrible smell?"

"Lacchiato."

"Lacchiato? Is that even a word?"

"Don't ask."

"You Americans butcher the English language. You take random words from all cultures of the world, you force them together and then you have the proverbial melting pot that never boils."

"_Watched_ pot that never boils. America _is_ a melting pot. Nobody's ever accused it of not boiling."

"You see? _Again_ with the odd sayings that make no sense. Why will a watched pot not boil? It _will_ boil, given time and the proper amount of heat. Whether or not it is watched has nothing to do with any of that. And if America is a 'melting pot,' then why do you say a watched pot cannot boil? You have just claimed that a pot will melt. And yet that same pot, capable of melting, will not boil?"

"You're mixing your metaphors, Ziva... or something. We've gotta work on that. You'd come so far. Frankly, I'm disappointed, I have to say."

"I disappoint you, Tony?," Ziva purred, nuzzling Tony's neck.

"Of course not." Tony smiled, kissing Ziva's forehead. "Now would you _really_ like to impress me, Sweet Cheeks?"

"Anything to please you, my little Hairy Butt," Ziva replied teasingly with a wink.

Tony stroked her chin, gazing deeply into her black eyes.

"Then program this damn TV remote, will you, Snuggle Muffin? Because the game's gonna start in ten minutes."

-------------------------------------------

"No! NO! It's third and INCHES, dammit! GO for it! COME ON! Don't punt! DON'T PUNT! WHY THE HELL ARE WE GONNA PUNT AGAIN?!!!"

Ziva cocked an eyebrow in Tony's direction as he jumped off the couch, out of her embrace, his eyes wide with fury and his face turning a frightening shade of purple. He hurled his empty beer bottle across the room. As it caromed off a framed vintage 1970s-era poster of Farrah Fawcett, smiling into the sun as she tossed back her famous hair, the bottle shattered, breaking the glass covering the prized picture. Ziva, taking in the scene with quiet bemusement, didn't flinch. Tony, however, suddenly clasped his palms to his mouth and screamed.

"FARRAH!"

Racing over to the framed poster, he dropped to his knees before it, genuflecting. His hands trembled as he reached to touch the cracked glass.

"Please... Farrah... forgive me...," he stammered, tears coming to his eyes. "I was just... it's just that... Farrah, baby... the Buckeyes were third and INCHES from first down with 15 yards to the goal and..." Tony sobbed, wiping his eyes. "... we punted." His voice broke as he added, in a forlorn tone, "Again."

"For THIS you asked me to give up a Saturday of kickboxing at the gym on post?" The sound of Ziva's voice broke Tony's momentary reverie. "I am leaving, Tony. When you are through worshipping at the altar of your poster child, perhaps you will find me there." With that, she gathered her purse and headed for the door. Tony, still on his knees, turned away from the wall and watched her exit, concentrating on her small, firm rear before shaking his head as if to wake himself up. He got up and started towards the door to stop Ziva from leaving.

"PIN-UP GIRL!," Tony hollered in her direction. "NOBODY WORSHIPS A POSTER CHILD! Ziva! ZEEEE-vaaah! HONey, c'mon! Don't leave! The fourth quarter's about to start! ZIVA! Baby... Snookums... SWEET CHEEKS!"

As the door slammed shut, Tony stood alone in the middle of his small apartment living room. His giant TV roared with the sound of fans screaming gleefully as Ohio State pulled off a fake punt and ended up on its own seven-yard line. Tony turned to look at the TV.

"Go Buckeyes," he said quietly, hating the thought of spending Saturday alone.

-------------------------------------------

The Post gym intimidated Tony. It had since the first timed he'd entered it as an NCIS probie. Too many muscled-up military macho men for his taste and not nearly enough hot, sweaty servicewomen straining beneath the weight of workout equipment, their tight t-shirts tensed against their...

"I.D., sir?" The clean-cut, handsome man working the front desk gave Tony a strange look. Tony had been grinning, stupidly, at the thought of those sexy servicewomen. Now he stared blankly at the young man.

"Huh?"

"Your I.D., sir. May I see it, please? So you can use the gym?"

"Oh yeah," Tony fished around in his back jeans pocket for his wallet. He flashed his NCIS badge and identification card at the man, waiting for the usual look of surprise or -- even better, to Tony's way of thinking -- intimidation. "Special Agent Tony DiNozzo. NCIS." Tony sniffed, a smug look crossing his face. "I know my way around this place, so I'll catch ya on the flipside, buddy." He flipped the badge/card holder closed, stuffed it back in his pocket and strode towards the gym entrance.

"Sorry, sir, but I can't allow you into the gym like that." The young man blocked Tony from entering the gym, standing before him. Although much shorter than Tony, he was far more muscular. Crossing his heavily-muscled arms, he looked up at Tony with a flat stare.

Tony snickered. "Ohhh-kaaaay... So what's the problem? You saw my badge and I.D. What else you need? Blood sample? DNA? First-born son? I didn't really think ellipticals were under such heavy lock and key as a component of our national security but then again I could be wrong about that. Guess I could run back to NCIS headquarters and check the manual so that..."

"Sir, come with me, please." By the man's tone, Tony could tell it wasn't really a request. _I could take you, MuscleHead_, he thought, _but why start a security incident between departments?_

So he followed -- a few steps behind MuscleHead -- in the name of cooperation between agencies.

-------------------------------------------

_Oh, man... SHE's hot._

_Look at her... Everything I like in a woman: Good looks, great body, fine sense of style..._

_... for someone beating the hell out of a guy three times her size. _

_Still, though, really hot. Total turn-on. Damn. I better watch it. Last time I got this... excited... in here checking out some chick I ended up with three phone numbers. Just wish they'd have been from women, y'know? I mean, those guys from the locker room weren't bad looking but... not my type. Maybe for McGee but not for me. Heh. Was kinda flattering, though. Everybody wants me. Just saying. Yeah, I'm the man... Totally irresistible..._

_Okay, whoa... wait - what the HELL, Anthony? FOCUS! HOT. WOMAN. IN. YOUR. FACE. Sweaty. Half-naked. Perfect. DUDE!_

_Hmmm... Wonder whatever happened to Fabricio, anyway? His postcards *were* really sweet._

-------------------------------------------

"Nice... shorts, Tony. Did they not have them in your size?" Ziva's eyes settled on the general area of Tony's groin as he squirmed uncomfortably, yanking at the tight polyester. He snarled at her.

"Maybe I was GOING for the retro booty-shorts-riding-up-my-CROTCH look that worked so well for Magic and Larry Bird back in the day, okay?!!! Or maybe I just really REALLY like this DRAFT blowing right through my GO-BETWEENS!" Tony continued trying to pull the skimpy shorts down but with each tug, they pulled back up again.

Ziva took a crisp white towel from a nearby rack, wiping the sweat from her olive brow as she rested, catching her breath after her strenuous workout. Now her eyes moved up to the singlet-style shirt Tony looked stuffed into, his stomach looking abnormally puffy thanks to the two-sizes-too-small clinginess of the material. The shirt bunched up under his armpits, far too tight in the upper body area. The word "NAVY" stretched out in an impossible manner across Tony's chest. Ziva crossed her arms and giggled at the sight.

"You are enjoying the feel of your mighty-tighties, my little Hairy Butt?" Smiling, Ziva opened an ice-cold bottled water, sipping it as she once again let her eyes drop to Tony's groin.

"The phrase, _Sweet Cheeks_, is tighty-whities," Tony said in a haughty tone, lifting his chin in her direction as he cocked an eyebrow at her, narrowing his eyes. "And for your information, I am in fact growing fond of their snugness. Takes a _real_ man to sport these bad boys here in the Planet of the Apes. I stand before you in all my glorious masculinity, Ziva. Mock me if you will but I fear none of your immature rejoinders."

"From where I stand, Agent DiNozzo, your rejoinders are looking pretty damn good. But it hurts me that you never responded to my postcards." Tony's eyes went wide at the low, husky voice whispering in his ear. Ziva smiled, taking another sip of her water as she focused on the muscular Latino man standing behind Tony, smirking. A broad, crazy smile crossed Tony's face. He laughed out loud.

"Ha ha HA! Fa-BRI-cio, old buddy, how the heck ARE ya?" Turning slowly to face his former acquaintance, Tony grabbed the towel suddenly from Ziva, wrapping it rather daintily around his waist. "Long time, no Air Mail - HAH! Have you met my GIRLFRIEND, Ziva? Ziva David? This..." Tony backed over to Ziva, pulling her to him and snuggling a bit too tightly against her, "...this is Ziva. Ziva David. My GIRLfriend. Heh."

Ziva smiled sweetly at Fabricio as she grabbed Tony's chest hair with her free hand, twisting a hank of it harshly, causing Tony to whimper. "Strong... isn't... she?" Tony groaned, forcing a pained smile. "That's... ENOUGH... Sweet... Cheeks!" With one final twist, Ziva released her grip and Tony put his hand to the area, massaging it.

Fabricio crossed his arms, nodding at Ziva with admiration. "Nice to meet you, Ziva." He extended a muscular arm, offering her his hand. She took it, giving it a firm shake.

"The pleasure is mine, Fabricio. I am always happy to meet a fellow military officer. You'll have to forgive Tony. He has been depressed all day because his football team was forced to bunt."

"_Punt_," Tony groaned, rubbing his chest. "And Ohio State won so I'm good. Why do you think I hauled it all the way over here to the International House of Hosers? I missed you. You promised you'd spend the day with _me_ - not with some punching bag." Folding his arms across his chest, Tony stared down, glancing over at Ziva to see if she noticed the hurt look he was giving her.

Ziva rolled her eyes. "That is true. I did give you my word, my Hairy Little Mutt." She went to Tony, nudging him and taking his arm in hers. "Fabricio, you will excuse us, please? Tony and I have... plans... for the day." Ziva smiled at Fabricio as Tony gave him a wounded look. Fabricio laughed.

"Oh, of course. Have fun, you two - Ziva..." Fabricio waited until Tony walked past him before continuing "... Hairy Mutt." Tony jerked to a sudden stop, cocking his head in Fabricio's direction, but not looking back. Ziva looked at Fabricio over her shoulder, giving him a sly wink, which Fabricio returned.

-------------------------------------------

"You ready to hit it? I've been thinking about our date all day."

"So have I. Sorry I was late. I just had to grab my equipment from the locker room. So where are we going to dinner?"

"Not sure yet. What're you thinking? Mexican? Italian? Greek?"

"Greek sounds fine to me. Let's do that."

"Cool. There's a neat little place in Georgetown I've been wanting to check out."

"Oh, wait a minute. DAMN! I forgot something. I'll have to go back. Do we have time?"

"Sure. No rush at all. I'll go get the car and..."

"Actually, I'll need your help, I think."

"The HELL did you leave in the gym?"

As the short, muscular front desk clerk unlocked the door to the workout center, flipping on the lights, he sighed as he turned in the direction of the kickboxing area. Fabricio followed him, looking shocked at what he saw.

"Should we call an ambulance?"

"No," the clerk said, helping a groggy, bruised giant of a man to his feet from where he'd been sprawled out, half-conscious. "He'll be fine." The man swayed and began to fall. Fabricio grabbed him and the pair helped the man, moaning in pain, to the gym entrance. He sat down for a few minutes, collected himself, walked out of the building, bumped into a tree, fell and got up, tottering down the street towards the Navy barracks.

"Are you sure he's okay?," Fabricio asked the clerk.

"Positive," the clerk answered. "She took it easy on him. So... that agent boyfriend of hers..."

"_Nice_ go-betweens. C'mon, you gotta admit."

"Why do you think I gave him those shorts?"

-------------------------------------------


	4. Cruising For Bruising

Title: Cruising For Bruising

Author: rekkidbraka

Rating: T

Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.

Category: Romance; Humor

Disclaimer: No infringement intended.

Spoilers: None

Summary: Tony and Ziva go on - brace yourselves - a VACATION CRUISE

-------------------- Cruising For Bruising ---------------------

"Sweet Cheeks, you missed a spot. A little more to the left?"

"Nothing pleases me more than pleasing you, my little Hairy Mutt. To the left, you say?"

"Yeahhhh... left... Ahhhhhh... that's it... RIGHT there... Unnnhhhhh... Ohhhhhhh... yeaaah... heh heh heh heh HEH... YESSSSSS... YESSSSSS... NOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOO! AAAAAAAHHHH! STOPPPPPPPP! STOPPPPPPPP! STOPPPPPPPP! ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEVAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

-------------------------------------------

"Oh, Tony, stop whining. It is not attractive."

"I am in PAIN, Ziva."

"Pain that you brought on yourself."

"Pain that YOU brought on MYSELF."

"There is no need to clip hairs over this. You are acting like a child."

"The phrase, Lamb Chop, is _'SPLIT HAIRS!'_ And I don't know about _Daddy David's_ idea of playtime but when I was a child, the folks never said to me 'Gee, Anthony, you've been such a _GOOD_ boy lately... How's about a nice trip to _DISLOCATED SHOULDER LAND?!!!_"

"Once again, you are exaggerating. You asked for a deep tissue massage, Tony, and that is what I gave you. Now you are unhappy because I did what you asked and you could not handle the end result!"

"If that's what you call a _massage_, Magic Hands, someone needs to re-check the definition because the last time I looked in MY dictionary what you just put ME through was listed under 'TORTURE!'"

_Damn... too far? Oh yeah, Tony, waaaaay too far. And... exit Ziva, stage left. Won't see HER again until after she's worked up a good tan by the pool. Fine -- let her sulk. GO ON, SWEET CHEEKS, GET IT OUTTA YOUR SYSTEM! This boy's gonna check out the latest in coed swimwear trends out on the SUN DECK... OH YEAH, I am! But I swear, if that cabana boy gives Ziva the hairy eyeball just ONE more time, I'm gonna... OWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! OW! OW! OW! OW! OW! OW! OW! Can't... move... shoulder..._ *whimper* _Need... painkillers..._ *whine* _Must... get... to... cabin... suite... Bed... Big... screen... TV... Free... movies..._ *sob*

-------------------------------------------

"Tony! When did you come back to the cabin? I have been looking all over for you! The pool... the sun deck... the bar..."

"I've been right here. In bed. Convalescing."

"Yes, I see. I take it a day spent watching the adult movie channel has assisted you in your recovery?"

"Feeling like a million bucks. Ohhhh... look at that split she just pulled off. She's gotta be the best cheerleader ever. Go Team!"

"An impressive move. But I have seen better."

"When? Where? How? Was she wearing one of those little skirts? Were YOU wearing one of those little skirts? Even better, were you both NOT wearing little skirts? Details, Ziva. I need details."

"I am going to take a shower. Enjoy your movie."

"WHAT ABOUT THE LITTLE SKIRTS?!!! WERE POM-POMS INVOLVED?!!! COME ON!!!!"

-------------------------------------------

"You, uh, want some company?"

"I would not mind that. Are you feeling up to it?"

"Oh, I'm up to it alright."

"So I see. I was talking about your shoulder. Is it feeling better?"

"Not really thinking about it. Pain's moved... down... from there."

"Ahhh... Do you blame me for that, also, Tony?"

"Blame isn't what I'm interested in laying, Ziva."

"It is said that steam heat relaxes stiff muscles."

"Well, I'm hot as hell right now and still stiff as a board. Any ideas?"

"If you trust me, I will massage you. Again."

"Just keep your mitts off my shoulder and we're good, Sweet Cheeks."

"It isn't your shoulder I'm thinking of working on, my little Hairball."

"Then we're REAL good."

-------------------------------------------

"I don't like the cabana boy. He's got a sneaky look. Like McGee, except without the sad Bambi eyes. Or the extra 30 pounds. Do you think his abs are real? Cabana Boy's, I mean. Not McGoo's. Probie's got flab, not ab."

"You are the picture of masculine perfection, Tony?"

"_No_, Ziva, I am NOT. But compared to McGoo, I'm the 'after' in one of those Charles Atlas ads. He's Mr. Before. Is Cabana Boy looking at you _again_? He's looking at you again. Really don't like that guy. He's not getting a tip for these Mimosas. They're watery. Probably did that on purpose, the sneaky S.O.B."

"This is so nice -- being away from everything. No cases to work, no criminals to pursue... just the ocean and the sun..."

"... and the all-you-can eat oyster bar!"

"... and the breeze and this beautiful ship..."

"..._and_ the oyster bar."

"... and the dancing and our lovely cabin suite with the king-sized bed we have so enjoyed..."

"...and the oyster bar?"

"And... us. I cherish this time alone with you, Tony. I love you. And I am sorry I hurt you yesterday."

"I think you made up for that. Showering with you was quite an adventure. So was the king-sized bed. We gotta get one like that. Love those sheets. It's the high thread-count that really makes the difference and..."

"Tony..."

"And... Ziva... you know I ... you know I love you, too. I love you. You know that. I do."

"Kiss me?"

"Is Cabana Boy watching?"

"I do not care if he is."

"I do. I want him to see what he CAN NEVER HAVE. Ha HA!"

"Tony..."

"Right. Kissing you. On it."

"Oh, yes... Yessss, Tony... Ohhhh... Right there, Hairy Buns... Mmmmmmm... Just... a little... more... ohhhh... to the... left, Tony... Ahhhhhhhhh..."

"Nothing pleases me more than pleasing YOU, Sweet Cheeks..."

"_Ani ohevet otcha, Tony._"

"_Ti amo, Ziva._"


	5. Like The First Time

Title: Like The First Time

Author: rekkidbraka

Rating: T

Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.

Category: Romance

Disclaimer: No infringement intended.

Spoilers: None

Summary: Tony and Ziva make sweet love - again and again and again. Sexy TIVA.

-------------------- Like The First Time ---------------------

Ziva caressed the hair on Tony's chest, purring contentedly as she nuzzled his neck. Tony flashed a smug grin, barely visible to Ziva in the moonlight streaming through the window.

"You are pleased, Tony?"

"Ah, Ziva... My über-limber mistress of the understatement... My sultry seductress of the simplification... My..."

"Tony..."

"Yeah, I'm pleased."

"That is good. Pleasing you pleases me."

"Then you should be a happy, happy girl right now. And... you're happy?"

"Yes," Ziva replied, peppering Tony's chest with brief kisses as she spoke. "I have no complaints."

"Mmmmhhhh..." Tony sighed with pleasure, then frowned. "Wait -- no complaints?"

"No complaints." Ziva positioned her body more tightly against Tony's, pulling him close as she entwined her legs with his. She pressed suggestively against Tony, arousing him. "You would like me to clarify?"

Tony started to answer but found himself silenced by the sudden sweetness of Ziva's tongue, searching his, before the night again turned hazy.

-------------------------------------------

Watching her sleep always touched him deeply. It was a sensuous experience in and of itself. When they had first begun seeing each other, Tony had teased Ziva about her loud snoring -- which he knew grated on her nerves -- but lately he noticed that, whenever he awoke late in the night, Ziva slept so quietly and soundly that he felt the need to make sure she was breathing.

This night, after their lovemaking, she lay still and silent next to him. Turning towards her, Tony gently stroked Ziva's long black hair, strewn across the pillow.

_God, I love you_, he thought as he took in the sight of her, the moonlight illuminating her bare skin. _Do you know how much I love you, Ziva?_ _More than anyone... anything... _Tony swallowed hard, the realization that he could lose her -- to the job, to demands from her father, to a misstep on his own part, possibly even to another man despite her promises that Tony was the only one she loved and desired -- suddenly sending cold chills through him. He shivered and snuggled with Ziva for warmth, wrapping his arm tightly around her slim waist as he drew her against his chest, pressing his body to hers.

"Tony, you are cold," Ziva moaned drowsily. Stirring awake, she turned on her back, caressing Tony's cheek as her dark eyes searched his. "Come to me, _ha-m'aheiv sheli_."

Ziva continued softly murmuring to him in her native Hebrew as Tony covered her body with his, his lips traveling from her neck to her breasts and beyond...

-------------------------------------------

"I love you."

"And I love you."

"I'm serious. I _love_ you, Ziva. I've never loved anyone the way I love you."

"I know that you do, Tony, and you know that I love you, too. You have my heart. Forever."

"I can't lose you."

"You won't."

"Promise me."

"I promise. Tony, you will not lose me -- not to anyone, not for any reason."

"I need to _know_ that for certain. I'm ... afraid. Ziva, I can't ... imagine my life without you. I _need_ you. I love you _so_ _much_."

"Before you, I never thought I would truly find love, Tony. You _are_ my life. Whatever you need, I will give. Tony, please... do not doubt my love."

"I don't. I've just never been good at this, y'know? Being in love. Letting someone love me. I ... I want to get it right. With you. I don't want to screw it up. I couldn't take that. Ziva, I couldn't ..."

"You _have_ me, Tony. I will not let you go. Just love me, Tony. That is all you have to do. Love me."

"I do. I will."

"Forever, Tony."

"Forever."

"Tonight..."

"_All_ night..."

"Right now."

-------------------------------------------

Tony silently cursed the dawn, knowing the pale light spelled the end of another night in Ziva's arms. He yawned, stretching, exhausted from their lovemaking. Sleep quickly took him. After a while, the daylight woke Ziva, who lay quietly at Tony's side, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath as he slept.

Ziva nestled her head against his shoulder, tracing a nondescript pattern with her fingers in the hair on his chest, her dark brown eyes focused on his handsome face._ I love you, Tony_, she thought, staring at the small scar on his chin, _I love everything about you. I can't imagine_ my _life without_ you. _I would do anything for you._

Closing her eyes, Ziva reveled in the warmth of Tony's body, the feel of his skin against hers, the security of knowing that his heart finally belonged only to her. As she drifted back to sleep, Ziva felt Tony's lips caress her forehead, his voice a hoarse, soft whisper as he dreamily promised to love, honor and cherish her.

-------------------------------------------


	6. That's Why I'm Here

Title: That's Why I'm Here

Author: rekkidbraka

Rating: T

Pairings: Tony D. and L.J. Gibbs

Category: Friendship

Disclaimer: No infringement intended.

Spoilers: None

Summary: Tony's worried about his relationship with Ziva. Who better to talk to about it than Gibbs? Father/son friendship. No slash.

-------------------- That's Why I'm Here ---------------------

As always, he heard the footsteps on the stairs before he saw who was headed his way. Without acknowledging his visitor, he continued sanding with the grain of the wood. This boat, still in its earliest stages, would be a beauty. He knew it. He always knew it.

"Lookin' good, Boss." Tony's voice broke the silence in the basement. "You got a name for her yet?"

"Nope," Gibbs replied, continuing to focus on his sanding.

Tony laughed nervously. "Guess not. You just started this one, right?"

"Yep," Gibbs said, squinting at the grain of the wood.

Nodding as if he were himself an old hand at the boat building game, Tony folded his arms across his chest and surveyed the basement. "Yeah... When you've turned out as many of these babies as you have, Boss, it's a foregone conclusion that..."

Gibbs turned to his workbench, rifling through some tools.

"There a point to this, DiNozzo?"

"I'm afraid I'm gonna lose Ziva."

Gibbs took a jar of nails from the shelf above the workbench, dumped the nails out and poured a third of bourbon into the glass. Handing it to Tony, he took his own glass, downed the contents and poured himself a third from the bottle. He then pushed an old barstool towards Tony before taking a seat on another stool next to the workbench.

Tony took a drink of his bourbon, looking up at Gibbs, who simply cocked an eyebrow at him, stared back in his direction for a few seconds and then raised his hands outward as if to say "Okay, WHAT?"

-------------------------------------------

"We were together last night and I told her that I need to be certain that she's not gonna leave me."

"And?"

"She said she's not gonna leave me."

"So what's the problem?"

"I just... I dunno, Boss. She says that now but what if she does leave me? Someday?"

"Ya can't predict the future, DiNozzo."

"Yeah, I know. But I don't wanna lose her. And I know you're not real happy about ... us. Ziva and me. Being together. Breaking Rule 12." Tony looked away from Gibbs, who continued staring at him with no real expression.

"You don't need my approval, DiNozzo. Doesn't matter what I think about you and Ziva seeing each other, long as you're getting your jobs done. No problem there. So far."

"No worries, Boss. We agreed we wouldn't let our relationship affect us on the job."

"Works for me." Gibbs took another drink of his bourbon.

Tony downed the rest of his drink. Gibbs uncorked the bottle and poured him another. Tony fingered the glass, swirling the amber liquid as he searched for a way to ask his mentor the question he'd been wondering about since the first time he'd heard Gibbs' background story.

"Boss?"

"Yeah, DiNozzo?"

"You ever... You ever get scared you might... lose Shannon when you were together?" Tony took a deep breath, afraid of Gibbs' reaction. He was curious about Gibbs' life with his first wife, arguably the one woman Gibbs had ever truly loved, but feared asking about her.

Gibbs laughed quietly, a huge smile breaking across his face. Tony smiled, tentatively, and allowed himself a small laugh, quickly taking a drink of bourbon. Gibbs shook his head, still smiling.

"Not to another man," Gibbs answered, chuckling.

"Guess you guys were pretty solid, huh?"

"Yep."

Tony looked down, unsure of what to say. Gibbs poured himself another bourbon.

"Thing was, DiNozzo, we trusted each other. Didn't need to worry. She knew I loved her and I knew she loved me. That's all you need. No big secret."

"Ziva told me not to doubt her love. And... here I am, right? Doubting her. Being a jackass. You know, being me."

Gibbs tossed his head back and smirked slightly.

"Nah... You're just bein' a guy, Tony. Guys get jealous. Happens to the best of us."

"So what do I do, Boss? How do I fix this?"

Gibbs took the glass of bourbon from Tony, leaning towards his agent as he said, quietly, "Go home."

-------------------------------------------

He thought it was funny how everyone imagined he was the tough guy in their relationship, that he'd been the one who ruled the roost, made the rules.

Not how it had been.

_"I have this rule...,"_ she'd say and he'd listen, taking in the rule as she explained it. Her rules were always logical, made perfect sense to him, never meant to anger him or pressure him into anything. She saw the world in straightforward, simple terms and she'd taught him to view it that way as well.

_"No big secret,"_ she'd say, when he asked why she saw something the way she did. Eventually, he got to where he didn't even need to ask why. He saw things her way, too. Not because she demanded it or expected it of him. But because he realized that her way was the wise way, the simple way, the best way.

Coming home to her every night he wasn't away on a mission wasn't anything he ever gave any real thought to. Like everything else in their life together, it was what it was.

Simple. Easy. Natural. Beautiful.

Perfect.

-------------------------------------------

Actually, he was fine with their relationship, no matter what DiNozzo thought. He'd broken Rule 12 with Jenny. Didn't work for them but that was _them_. Tony and Ziva? They'd be okay. He knew it because they'd been okay, he and Shannon. He'd been a hothead like DiNozzo when he was young -- who'd have believed it? certainly not DiNozzo -- and Shannon had turned him into a man. Kate's murder shocked all of them, but he'd felt that Tony hid his real feelings about her loss better than the rest of the team. Paula Cassidy's death hurt Tony and he could see that but again, Tony being Tony, everything was tucked away somewhere deep down inside. Being with Jeanne Benoit had matured Tony some but since that breakup, he'd slipped back into his old ways of laughing off everything, acting like losing the woman he'd loved hadn't been such a big deal. Took DiNozzo a long time to let himself even start dating again. And then, suddenly it seemed, he and Ziva had started seeing each other. The team had been a little surprised by the news at first, except for Abby, whose "Well, _geez_, you guys, what _TOOK_ you so long? If you'd have gotten together LAST week, I'D have won the pool. Now Sister Rosita gets the WHOLE pot!" comment got him laughing on his way home that night. Tony wanted -- no, needed -- his approval, his blessing for the relationship. But Ziva had simply brought him coffee and said "I will not allow my personal relationship with Tony to impact our working relationship in any way, Gibbs." And the matter was closed. _Good coffee,_ he thought, bringing his last sip of bourbon to his lips. _Where'd she get that?_

Ziva reminded him of Shannon more than any woman he'd met since Shannon's death. Sometimes Jenny had done things -- little things -- that were reminiscent of Shannon but Ziva... Shannon would've liked her. She'd have liked the way Ziva saw the right and wrong in the world instead of looking for the shades of grey in order to make things more complicated than they actually were. She'd have liked Ziva's code of honor. She'd have liked Ziva's willingness to go above and beyond for the people she loved. _Just like you, Shannon,_ he thought.

Shannon was never prone to getting as hot-headed (or as hard-headed) as Ziva could but he knew that just as you didn't want to test Ziva, Shannon wasn't one to back down from a fight. And while their fights were so rare, few and far-between that he had to really think in order to remember one in particular, he had to smile at the memory of her grabbing him by the t-shirt that one time when they were first married and he'd returned to her from boot camp with something of an attitude, him being a newly-minted Marine, and she'd had to set him straight.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs," she'd said in a quiet, furious voice, her grip tightening as she twisted his Marine-issue undershirt and pushed him down onto their small bed. "You better remember your manners." Tossing her fiery, long red hair back, she shot him a look that let him know she meant business and silently walked out. About an hour later, he'd found her in the living room, curled up on the sofa, reading a book. Apologies were softly offered, then accepted with a kiss and a gentle reminder about the 'no apologies' rule -- which shouldn't be necessary, really, since there shouldn't be anything to be sorry about, right? -- and he'd said "Yes, Ma'am" and she'd teased him "Don't ever call me 'Ma'am'" and he'd corrected himself with "Okay, then... Yes, BOSS" and she'd laughed out loud in that sweet way of hers and said "Boss... I like that, Gibbs" and everything had been fine between them after that, just fine...


	7. I Just Wanna Be Your Everything

Title: I Just Wanna Be Your Everything  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva spend a hot summer night... just talking

**-------------------- I Just Wanna Be Your Everything ---------------------**

Temperatures in Washington D.C. that night weren't going below the upper 70s. The sweltering heat wave had gripped the nation's capital from dawn to dusk every day for a week. Periodic brownouts due to high electricity usage were shutting down residents' air conditioning at any random time.

Tony, who couldn't take the stifling heat in his apartment any longer since the air conditioning was out yet again, reclined on a deck chair on the rooftop area of his apartment building in his boxer shorts. He was still dripping sweat. Thanks to the heat there wouldn't be any sleeping tonight; just a futile attempt at getting any sort of rest at all.

Just as Tony started to doze off, he heard the door to the rooftop squeak open behind him. Without opening his eyes, he continued intently listening as his visitor pulled up another deck chair next to his. Finally, he peeked over to see who had joined him.

"Hello, Tony."

Raising his eyebrows as a self-satisfied smirk crossed his face, Tony greeted his guest.

"Ziva..."

-------------------------------------------

Ziva lay back in the deck chair, arms behind her head, stretching. Tony turned to watch her, his eyes taking in every movement of her body.

"How'd you know I was up here?"

"You did not answer your doorbell."

"Maybe I was sound asleep."

"You were not in your bed."

"You broke IN!"

"That surprises you?"

"No, it impresses me. Now I wish I had been in bed."

"It is lovely out here tonight, don't you think?"

"Lovely? I'm sweating like a horse."

Ziva's dark eyes traveled over the length of Tony's body, fixing at last on his chest.

"You do seem..."

"... hot? Like, hotter than usual?"

"... in need of anti-perspirant."

Tony frowned.

"Thanks. Thanks for that."

"Tony, I am kidding." Ziva smiled at him, then reached over, gently touching Tony's arm. "Can't we just talk tonight? I could not sleep because I was thinking of you. We have both been so busy with work lately and I have missed you."

Tony took Ziva's hand in his, stroking her palm with his thumb. His green eyes searched hers.

"Of course we can talk, Z. I love talking to you, you know that," he said huskily, adding softly, "And I was thinking about you, too, y'know. I always am."

Bringing Ziva's hand up, Tony pressed his lips into her palm. Ziva caressed his cheek.

"Tony..." There was more Ziva wanted to say but suddenly the words wouldn't come.

"I love you, Ziva," Tony said, his voice almost a whisper.

-------------------------------------------

"Did you ever want to be anything other than a police officer?"

"Baseball player. Steve McQueen. Cowboy!"

Ziva chuckled.

"A cowboy? I cannot imagine you in a twelve-gallon hat!"

"TEN-gallon hat," Tony gently corrected. "And I'd have been a GREAT cowboy. You've seen how great I look in Levi's and boots. Any western wear, really."

"You are afraid of horses."

"NO, I am NOT," Tony growled teasingly. "HORSES are afraid to let ME ride THEM because they know I'm such a stud."

Ziva laughed out loud as Tony snarled, crossing his arms defensively.

"Tony, Tony, Tony... You are..." Ziva paused. "... so adorable."

Tony looked at Ziva incredulously.

"Adorable? Ziva David... Don't you go soft on me."

"I cannot speak like a woman without you saying I am 'soft'?"

"Of course, my ninja. But don't go McGoo on me."

"Why do you always tease McGee?"

"Because he's my Probie. It's tradition. Gotta break him in."

"He has been on the team longer than I have. Should he not already be 'broken in' by now?"

"Nah. Never! Once a Probie, always a Probie. I don't make the rules. I just ..."

"... abuse them. Break them. Generally ignore them."

"Reeeeally shoulda become a cowboy."

-------------------------------------------

With the air conditioning finally back on, Tony and Ziva lay in Tony's bed. Ziva snuggled against him, her head nestled on his shoulder as she stared out the window across the room, absentmindedly stroking Tony's chest hair. Tony kissed her forehead gently before asking "What'cha thinking, hm?"

"I am thinking ... that coming over here tonight was a good idea." Ziva kissed Tony's chest. He smiled, softly laughing.

"Mmmmmhhhhmmm... yeaaahhhh..." Tony turned over, pulling Ziva under him. "Gotta agree there." They kissed deeply.

Ziva caressed Tony's hair as he nuzzled her neck, kissing her, his tongue tasting her skin. She moaned softly as his hands moved under the thin tanktop she had on. Running her hands down his back, Ziva pushed at the waistband of Tony's boxers.

"Tony," she gasped as he tenderly pulled off her shirt. "I love you, Tony. So much."

Tony smiled down at her, bringing his lips just above hers.

"I know. I'm pretty irresistible." He pulled Ziva into a gentle kiss. "Plus, so adorable."

And then, despite the best efforts of the air conditioner, a swell of intense heat again overtook the bedroom as dawn neared.


	8. The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

Title: The Waiting Is The Hardest Part  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva care for an abandoned baby and consider...

**-------------------- The Waiting Is The Hardest Part ---------------------**

"Tony, that is not a good idea," Ziva cautioned. "She will not want to sleep in her crib later."

Tony looked over at Ziva from the couch, where he reclined in his favorite Ohio State t-shirt and sweatpants. A tiny newborn lay sprawled on his chest, snoozing in a onesie.

"Aw, Z..." Tony half-whispered. "Look at her. She's all sacked out. Finally. If I move her, she's gonna wake up again and she's so tired." Sticking his lower lip out in a pout, Tony gave Ziva his saddest 'sad' face. Ziva glanced up from the book she was reading.

"I am just saying that tonight she will either not be sleepy or she will only want to sleep on your chest because you have not put her in her own crib. You will see."

Tony kissed the top of the tiny baby's head gently.

"She's gonna be fine," he said softly, taking a minute to sniff at her wispy hair. It smelled of baby shampoo and he smiled. "Aren't you, Snugglepumpkin?"

A tiny foot kicked, a delicate little hand grabbed at Tony's t-shirt and a small mouth yawned, then sighed, before all was still again. Ziva again studied this scene from her place across the room and, her book revealing only her eyes to Tony, smiled to herself. Tony with a baby was a sight she wasn't sure she'd ever see, not when she first met him. She certainly wasn't sure how he'd react to having a baby in the apartment when she'd agreed, somewhat hastily, to take care of the infant girl the team had found at a recent murder scene. That image, of the sleeping baby nestled in her crib as her mother lay not far off in the hallway, drenched in blood, turned Ziva's smile into a concerned look. She thought of her homeland and how many children had seen their parents, family members, friends killed...

But after taking another look over at Tony, who was now dozing himself, cradling the newborn in his strong arms, tears came to Ziva's eyes, along with another smile. For all his faults, loud bluster and seemingly nonchalant attitude, Tony was a good man and, she had learned the past few months, someone capable of incredible tenderness and the deepest, truest kind of love. Most of the 'personality' he let the world see was only for show; with her, intimately, Tony was gentle, kind and caring. All his years of chasing women had been a frustrating quest to find just one woman to love wholly, to spend his life with. And, as he told Ziva whenever they were together, now he had. He wanted a wife, someone who would be his best friend, someone to start a family with...

What a wonderful father he will make, she thought. Someday.

-------------------------------------------

"I think it is time someone had a bath," Ziva said, winking, as Tony cradled the baby girl in the crook of his left arm while feeding her from a small bottle.

Tony sniffed at his right armpit.

"Darn that new deodorant. I knew I shoulda stuck with Old Spice. You can't top the classics."

The baby kicked her feet impatiently, her tiny hands balling into fists.

"Not you," Ziva replied, giving Tony a sly look. "Our little guest."

Tony gently took the bottle from the infant's lips.

"No more! ALL gone," he said. "Somebody was hungry!" Patting the baby's tummy, he turned her over his left shoulder and gently started burping her. Ziva left to get the bath ready. Once the baby was finished burping, Tony wiped her mouth and snuggled her to his chest.

"Who's Tony's sweet girl? YOU are." Tony gave her a little kiss on the forehead. "Now let's go get that bath."

-------------------------------------------

"C'mon, Muffincuddles! The water... has to... stay... in the tub!" Tony turned, trying to avoid another large splashful of water as the tiny, giggling baby kicked and squealed with joy in the infant bath. "And why aren't you HELPING?" Tony frowned at Ziva, who stood at a safe distance, chuckling at how wet Tony was getting.

"She is the one who is supposed to be getting the bath, isn't she, Tony?" Ziva flashed Tony a sly smile.

Tony snarled playfully at her, another faceful of water hitting him.

"Yes, Ziva. That was the plan. Now can you give me a HAND here or are you too busy just standing there making snarky comments?"

"I admit that it is a difficult job to have a laugh at your expanse. So I will patch in."

"The term is... ," Tony hissed, as a huge wave of water drenched his shirt, "... 'to have a laugh at your EXPENSE.' And people don't PATCH in, they PITCH in. Pitch, my malapropic Mossad mistress, PITCH!" The infant squeaked with glee as she knocked the baby shampoo bottle over onto the kitchen counter as Tony desperately tried to catch it before it started spilling onto the floor. "Ziva... please... HELP.. ME!"

"Fine... Step aside, Tony. This is a job for a professional." Ziva pushed up her sleeves, confidently striding over to where Tony stood, sopping wet. Looking at his dripping clothes, Ziva told him "If you do not already feel clean enough, why don't you take a long, hot bath of your own? Perhaps one in which the water remains in the bathtub?" A smile played at her lips.

"A long, hot bath...," Tony growled, "... was exactly what I was ALREADY planning, ZEE-vah!" Turning back towards the baby, who had calmed down as Ziva gently poured some fresh warm water into her tub, Tony addressed his littlest fan. "If you'll excuse me, Lambkisses, I'm going to go have a little 'me' time." With a haughty lift of his chin, he walked out of the kitchen, down the hall and closed the bathroom door behind him.

"He is a silly duck, isn't he?" Ziva said to the baby, smiling. They both laughed.

-------------------------------------------

"She should not sleep in the bed with us, Tony. It is time for you to put her down for the night -- in her crib."

Once again, Tony held the infant in his arms as he and Ziva lay in bed. The baby was wide awake, patting the hair on his chest gently with her tiny hands. Tony's handsome green eyes were fixed on her.

"She's not even tired. If I put her in the crib, she'll just start crying."

"I told you this would happen. You let her sleep for too long this afternoon. And she does not want to leave you. She has gotten used to sleeping with you."

"Jealous, Ziva?"

Ziva looked at him flatly.

"Well, I am going to sleep now, Tony. Getting her to sleep will be for you to handle." With a tender smile, Ziva leaned over and kissed the baby girl on her cheek. She giggled, suddenly yanking at Tony's chest hair, causing him to grimace. Ziva looked up at him, smirking. "Good night, my little Furry Bear." As Tony winced in pain, Ziva kissed his cheek, then turned over and snuggled down into her side of the bed.

"G'night, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said. He started to lean over to try kissing her but, with the baby still grasping his chest hair, he figured he shouldn't. I'll make it up to YOU later, he thought, glancing over at Ziva's still form just inches from him. "Ow! Quit it, Little Miss Grabbyhands," Tony whispered to the baby. "I thought we were tight! Owwww!"

-------------------------------------------

The next morning, when Ziva awoke, the baby was sound asleep on Tony's chest. But Tony lay staring at the ceiling, huge dark circles ringing his bloodshot eyes.

"Long night?" Ziva asked sleepily, stretching.

"Got no sleep," Tony whispered. "Kid tried to pluck my chest as bald as McGoo's. Oh, she's small but she's STRONG! Is it bad? Are there missing clumps? She finally conked out around six. I want to go to sleep but I'm scared to move. Scared she'll wake up and try pulling out every other hair that's left, one by one."

"You are still as hairy as a Neanderthal, Tony. Do not worry."

"Yeah, well, now I know why the cavemen lost all THEIR body hair. Musta had babies hanging all over 'em."

-------------------------------------------

That Monday, the day after the Social Services workers came to take the baby, Tony was disconsolate all day at work. So much so that even Gibbs left him alone. The rest of the team also left him to his thoughts and Ziva kept an eye on him from her desk throughout the day. She had never seen him look so openly saddened. Most of his day was spent staring hopefully towards the elevators, as if the social workers would make a surprise return with the baby. They didn't, and Tony silently handed Ziva the keys to his prized Mustang as they walked out -- something he never did. She drove them home and not a word was said during the short trip, nor for the rest of the evening.

As they lay in bed later, with only moonlight illuminating the room, Ziva broke the silence.

"She loved you."

Tony said nothing, but only continued staring at the ceiling, his hands folded on his chest where the baby had snuggled and slept only the day before.

"You were so good to her. You are a natural with babies -- with children. She felt safe with you. She bonded with you."

Tony swallowed hard. Tears welled up in his eyes. He frowned, trying to hold them back. Ziva turned toward him, stroking his cheek with her hand as she continued.

"Tony..." she whispered. "You will be such a wonderful father. Don't you know that? Can't you see what a kind, loving man you are? That is the man I have fallen in love with and that is the man your... " Ziva paused a second. "... Snugglemuffin also fell for, even if it was only for too short a time. I am sorry she could not stay with us, Tony. I loved her, too." Now Ziva began to cry. Tony noticed and pulled her to him.

"Hey... hey..." he said softly, nuzzling her forehead. "I know you did. She loved YOU. The three of us were a nice little family... for a while, right?"

"Yes, we were. We can still have that, Tony -- a family. Of our own. Someday."

Tony tenderly pulled Ziva into a gentle kiss.

"Yeah... Someday soon."


	9. Back In Baby's Arms

Title: Back In Baby's Arms  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony is beside himself when Ziva becomes a foster mom.

**-------------------- Back In Baby's Arms ---------------------**

"Tony..." Ziva purred as she watched her boyfriend take a milk carton out of his refrigerator, open it and sniff it, "... will you have any free time today to come shopping with me?"

Tony wrinkled his nose, retching at the smell of spoiled milk.

"Yeah... When? There's an O's game I wanna catch on TV later. Always a blast to see how they'll blow it. Shopping for what?"

"Clothes... some accessories... toys..."

"Toys?" Tony's face brightened. Smiling, he tossed the milk carton into the wastebasket, banking it off the rim of the container without even looking. "What kinda 'toys' we talking about, David? Honeydust? Fuzzy handcuffs? Fuzzy blindfolds? Fuzzy boxer shorts? Fuzzy panties? Anything fuzzy? I like the fuzzy."

"I am sure you will be happy with whatever we buy, Tony, fuzzy or otherwise."

"But... we will be getting _something_ fuzzy? Right?"

"Maybe. If you are a good boy."

"I thought you liked it better when I'm a _bad_ boy."

"Sometimes."

"If I'm _really_ good, can we get something fuzzy? So I can be _really_ bad later on?"

"Perhaps."

"As long as there's fuzz involved, I'm good. Let's roll."

-------------------------------------------

Entering the shopping mall, Tony offered Ziva his arm. She took it and they strolled together past the various stores.

"Bazaar," Ziva said.

"I know," Tony replied. "Who needs to hit the mall to buy clocks? That is bizarre. Sounds like something McGoo would do on a date."

"No, I mean that your malls are like bazaars," Ziva corrected. "So many stores selling so many things. The main difference is that here, none of the sellers are willing to haggle over price."

"Hah! You oughta come here right before closing time, Christmas Eve, and see how insane it gets when everyone's trying to get rid of all their junk! You're lucky if you leave with all your body parts intact. One year, I went into Le Lingerie to buy this girl I was dating some 75% off ... uh... nighties... and I was attacked by about six chicks trying to take advantage of the deep discounts. Crazy..."

"And you got how many of their phone numbers?"

"All six PLUS the two sales clerks'. Never did get the nighties. Turned out for the best. She gave me some cheap cologne. I regifted it to McGeek immediately."

"What a lovely Christmas story."

"Warms my heart whenever I tell it. Where are we going?"

"Right here." Ziva directed Tony's attention to the "Little Things" sign above the entrance outside the store where they stood.

"This is a store for baby stuff."

"Yes."

"Who's having a baby?"

"I am."

Once the mall security guards made certain Tony was okay and that he could stand on his own without fainting again, Ziva asked him, "Will you let me explain? Without collapsing in front of the entire mall again?"

Tony, clutching a bottle of water the guards had given him, took a long drink before answering.

"Yeah," he said breathlessly, staring blankly at a large stuffed lion in the baby store's window. "You're pregnant."

"No," Ziva replied. "I am taking the baby girl we found at that crime scene -- the one who has been in foster care. Her social worker asked if I would care for her again because she has not been doing well at her new home. And I agreed."

Tony perked up.

"Snugglepumpkin's coming back?" A huge smile lit up his face.

Ziva returned his smile with one of her own, radiant and wide.

"Yes, Tony. My biggest rival for your affections? Tonight you will have a chance to diaper her."

-------------------------------------------

"I gotta get a bigger place," Tony said to Ziva as they carried the many packages from the baby store into Ziva's new, spacious apartment. "Need to set up a nursery."

"If we spend the night with you, I will bring her crib -- where she WILL sleep."

Tony looked hurt. "IF you spend the night? Ziva, c'mon... You gotta bring her over. We kept her there last time and everything was fine."

"But things are different now. I will be her foster mother. The social worker will come by to see how I am caring for her. They do not often put a baby with a single woman and are only doing so in this case because she is doing so poorly in the new home. The worker thinks that she bonded with me -- with us -- and that she will be happier back in my home. Of course I will bring her by to visit, Tony, but... if the social worker thinks that I am spending weekends at your apartment with the baby..."

Tony sighed. "I know. It doesn't look... right. For you to have the baby around your boyfriend overnight. I get it."

Ziva went to Tony and embraced him tightly.

"Don't you think I wish the three of us could be together again? As we were that weekend? It was so perfect, Tony. And you were wonderful with her. She loves you so much. She will be thrilled to see you again. Much more so than when she sees me. I will bring her to see you, Tony. I won't keep her from you. We will just... we must be careful when we are together. That is all."

"You're right. We'll make it work. And hey, come on... That's not true, Z, about her liking me more than you. No way. She's crazy about you. Remember how she kept watching your every move? She wanted to know where you were all the time. And I couldn't sing to her like you did. She loved that. Heck, it was the only way we got her cleaned and changed."

Ziva laughed.

"That is true. Music does indeed soothe the savage beast."

Tony smiled, mentally noting that for once Ziva had gotten a turn of phrase right.

"Yeah... And the baby calmed down a lot, too."

She laughed again, giving Tony a playful punch on the shoulder. He pulled her close, kissing her, as the doorbell sounded.

-------------------------------------------

Finally, once the social worker had said her goodbyes and arranged for an in-house visit, Tony, Ziva and the baby were once again a happy threesome.

"Sarah... what a lovely name for such an adorable little girl," Ziva cooed as Baby Sarah patted her face, grabbing for Ziva's nose. "In Hebrew, it means 'princess." Ziva narrowed her eyes teasingly at the infant, squinching her nose and lips at her. Baby Sarah giggled.

Tony snuggled in closer to them, one arm around Ziva as he stroked Sarah's hair with his free hand.

"That's what she is, alright. And what does your name mean? In Hebrew?" Tony's green eyes sparkled as they fixed on Ziva. She blushed under his gaze.

"Bright... radiant," Ziva said softly, somewhat embarrassed that he had asked. "I ... I have always thought my father and mother gave me the wrong name. Because I am neither of those."

Tony knitted his brow, staring even more intently at her. Sarah nestled her tiny head against Ziva's shoulder, her delicate eyelids fluttering as she began to doze off.

"What do you mean? You're all of that." He leaned in, nuzzling Ziva's cheek with his nose as he coaxed her lips towards his. He kissed her deeply, his tongue tenderly probing hers. Reluctantly ending their embrace, Tony kissed Ziva once more, quickly, on the lips before looking down at the now-sleeping Sarah.

Ziva gathered herself, catching her breath.

"I think someone is ready for bed."

"Definitely," Tony replied with a wink. "I'll rock you to sleep after we put Sarah down."

-------------------------------------------

In the hastily put-together nursery, Ziva carefully lay Sarah in her crib. Sarah squirmed for a second before snuggling into her new bed. As Ziva gently pulled her baby blanket over her back, Sarah's tiny arm pulled a soft stuffed tiger close to her.

"His name is Tony," Tony whispered.

"Ah," Ziva whispered back. "How fitting. I see the resemblance."

"How's that?"

"You are both covered in fur."

Tony wrapped his arms around Ziva's slim waist as they watched Sarah sleep. Her tiny lips pursed occasionally and breathy little sighs popped from her mouth every so often. Tony the Tiger remained tight in her grasp.

"What do you think she's dreaming about?" Tony asked.

"You," Ziva said. "And me. Perhaps her mother, if she remembers her."

"Yeah... Or tigers. Maybe lions."

"Whatever she is dreaming of, she is happy."

Ziva snapped on the baby monitor as she took Tony's hand, leading him from the nursery. As they exited, the dim glow of a nightlight shaped like an elephant illuminated a large stuffed lion keeping watch over the tiny sleeping form in the crib.


	10. Walking After Midnight

Title: Walking After Midnight  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva are stranded late one night when the 'Stang breaks down.

**-------------------- Walking After Midnight ---------------------**

"OK, let's go down the list one more time: Formula... bottles... blanky... paci... diapers... wipes... Butt Paste..."

"Tony! I got it! All present and accounted for, Sir!"

"... diaper BAG ... fold-up baby bed ... emergency phone numbers ... EXTRA formula - she eats like a champ ... extra jammies ... "

"Tony! Dude! You're wigging, man!"

" EXTRA blanky ... Tony the Tiger ... Now listen, Abs, this is important: She will NOT go to sleep without Tony the Tiger. Gotta have him right next to her in the bed. Sarah's crazy about him. Next to Ziva and me, she loves Tiger Tony more than anything. Got that?"

"GRRRRR! Yes, DAD. Now will you get out of here? You're already late to pick up Ziva. Plus, you're totally horning in on my girl time with Sarah. Sister Mary Ignatius is coming by later to visit and take our pictures for the nuns' "Abby" album. Oh! Oh! Oh! And the Sisters want to know if I can bring her bowling for one of our Saturday afternoon practices. You know, sorta as our mascot-slash-good-luck-charm? Will you ask Ziva if it's cool? We bowl at a no-smoking alley. Super-healthy and baby-approved!"

"Would you like that, Sarahcakes? Go bowling with Aunt Abby and the Sisters of the Immaculate Three-Hundred Game? Yeeeeeahhhh... you know you would. As long as Ole Mister Stripeypants here can come, too, I think the Princess is good to go."

"Awesome! Tony, you're the best dad who isn't really a dad yet EVER! Now fork over the Snugglepumpkin! And you and Ziva have fun tonight, you hear? No rushing things at the drive-in, DiNozzo. I expect you and Ziva to NOT know what happened in that movie -- at ALL!"

"You're always lookin' out for me, Abs. Hey, can I get a smooch, SarahBunny? Awwww... Who's Papa Tony's SWEET girl? OK, OK, I'll give Tony the Tiger a kiss, too..."

"Bye, PAPA Tony! Say 'bye-bye' to PAPA Tony, Sarah..."

"Oh yeah... one last thing, Abs. You ever tell McGeek about me kissing that tiger and I'll force you into a tanning bed. I swear."

-------------------------------------------

"Aaaaahhhh... What a GREAT movie..."

"We did not watch any of it, Tony. I could not see anything from the backseat and because we were so otherwise... occupied ... I have no idea what it was about."

"Yeah... Like I said -- GREAT movie. We gotta come to the drive-in more often. Hey, you talked to Abs? Sarah doing OK?"

"Everything was fine when I called an hour ago. Abby said Sister Mary Ignatius and Sarah had a lovely visit and that she had the time of her life bouncing on McGee's knee."

"McGEE's knee? Those nuns really get around. Go Sister Mary."

"No, I was talking about SARAH. According to Abby, she is crazy about her Uncle Timmy."

"UNCLE TIMMY? Waaaaaaait a minute! Hold on there, Mother Goose! Sarah doesn't HAVE any "UNCLE TIMMY" -- she HAS her Mama Ziva and Papa Tony and Aunt Abs and Ducky-Duck and Boss-Boss and JimmyJimmy. Probie's just Probie to her. Period. End of story. *snort* Uncle Timmy... HAH!"

"You do not think McGee rates as family? To Sarah? To us?"

"He's like that weird cousin you stick in the attic when the family reunion rolls around. And trust me -- I know all about how that works because... Aw, HELL! What's THAT about? 'Check ENGINE'? I just had the 'Stang serviced last month! Dammit..."

"Perhaps a spark bug has gone bad."

"Plug -- a spark PLUG, Ziva. And that can't be it. Just checked those out in this baby myself last weekend."

"I am just saying that..."

"Yeah, yeah... Look, you hold this flashlight, OK, while I see what the hell is the matter. I'm goin' in."

-------------------------------------------

"Motor oil looks good on you, Tony, I must admit. I had thought the smell initially was a bit off-putting but now I am finding it... intoxicating."

"Everything looks good on me, Ziva. And that's the fumes talking. You don't want me to start soaking in Quaker State, believe me. DAMMIT, what the HELL is wrong? Oil's fine... Water's OK... Coolant's good... Battery's perfect... Engine looks great... C'mon, baby, TALK to me! Aw, the HECK with it -- Ziva, I'm goin' under. See if I'm missing anything. You wanna get down here, bring that flashlight so I can see?"

"Tony..."

"Unnnnhhh... Let's see what we're lookin' at here... You've got enough gas. Your tires are brand new."

"Tony..."

"Carburetor's lookin' alright... I just gave you a big drink of STP yesterday..."

"Tony..."

"Ziva, I'm trying to have a little man-to-man with 'Stang here so we can try to get home before the sun comes up, OK, and... uh... Ziva? Heh... Ummm... What are you doin', huh?" *gasp*

"I am checking under your hood."

"Mmmm... Yeeeeahhh... Ahhhh... Unnnhhh... You... uhhh... see any... mmmhh... problems?" *groan*

"Your spark plug? Seems to be in perfect working order, Tony. But I would like to test your engine."

-------------------------------------------

"You call Abs? Tell her we're gonna be late?"

"Yes. I explained the circumstances. She says Sarah is asleep and we can pick her up tomorrow. There is no rush."

"Good. 'Cause we ain't goin' nowhere anytime soon."

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"Probie? PROBIE! What the hell are you doing here? How'd you find us?"

"GPS, Tony. Also, Ziva called Abby and said you needed help getting your car started."

"ZIVA!"

"It is true! I am NOT sorry!"

"Sooo... What we got here, Tony? Engine looks OK... Oil looks fine..."

"Tell me something I DON'T know, McGreaseMonkey." *snarl*

"... annnnnd the battery's working. Did you check the spark plugs?"

"OF COURSE I CHECKED THE SPARK PLUGS! They were the FIRST THING I CHECKED, Probie Pep Boy!"

"That... is a LIE, Tony! I told you to check the spark plugs and you did NOT. In fact, you IGNORED my suggestion outright."

"Maybe I couldn't CHECK the CAR's spark plugs, ZIVA, because YOU were so busy checking MINE!"

"Oh-HO! I see! So this is MY fault? Well, it will be QUITE some time before I give your SPARK PLUG another TUNE-OUT!"

"Ah... Ziva? I think you mean 'tune-up' -- right? Tune-up?"

"WHATEVER, McGee! At the moment, I am not really so interested in anything that involves TONY, his SPARK PLUGS or his ENGINE TROUBLE!"

"FOR the RECORD, McNOSY, I've NEVER had ENGINE TROUBLE in MY LIFE! And I SURE as HELL didn't CONK OUT EARLIER when LITTLE MISS MECHANIC HERE decided to TAKE ME for a TEST DRIVE!"

"I have only TWO WORDS to describe your PERFORMANCE, Tony: SPEED RACER!"

"Um... guys? Are... Are we still talking about the car?"

-------------------------------------------

"Timmy! You're home! And you're... filthy. Ewwww... Nope, no hugging Uncle Timmy, Sarah. He's gross. I mean, YOU aren't gross, Timmy. Well, you are -- but just, like, right now. Because you've been working on Tony's car. Not because you're just gross in general or anything. Y'know?"

"Thanks, Abby. Can I use your shower?"

"Sure... You need me to wash your clothes? Oh, well, DUH. Of course you do. Just leave 'em outside the bathroom door. I've got some extra sweats of Gibbs' that you can wear."

"GIBBS?"

"Yeah. From when he came over and sanded my coffin. Geez, Tim, what'd you think happened?"

"Uhhh... nothing. Hey, did Tony say anything about he and Ziva fighting before he left tonight?"

"No! Are they arguing? Ziva didn't hurt him too bad, did she? Tony's scrappy but she kicks like a ninja."

"They were yelling at each other about spark plugs. It was... weird."

"Well, yeeee-ah, McGee. Hello? It's TONY!"

-------------------------------------------

"Get in the car, Ziva."

"No. I will walk."

"Ziva. Get in the car."

"No, thank you."

"The car, Ziva. Get in."

"I would rather not."

"GET IN THE DAMN CAR, ZIVA! NOW!"

"Have a nice drive home, Tony. Alone."

"FINE. Hope your thumb's in good shape, Sweet Cheeks. Have fun HITCHING!"

-------------------------------------------

"Ziva... baby, please. Will you just... c'mon... get in the car? So we can go home? And pick up Sarah? Please?"

"You dismissed my suggestion that the problem was the spark plug and then you blamed me for your car's trouble. I suppose I am to just forget all of that."

"YOU called me 'SPEED RACER' -- in front of PROBIE!"

"AFTER you said it was my fault that you had not checked the spark plugs, Tony! YOU did not seem quite so upset when we were making love before McGee's arrival!"

"THAT is because I was NOT... UPSET. In FACT, I was... ENJOYING the evening!"

"Yes. I could tell. Or at least it seemed that way."

"Aw, alright... I screwed up, OK? I shoulda listened to you in the first place and checked the spark plugs. Good thing McGoodwrench stopped at the all-night auto shop and got some, huh?"

"Most definitely. Otherwise, we would still be stranded."

"Y'know... I kinda liked being stuck out in the middle of nowhere with you, Ziva."

"I was not in any hurry to get home. Abby was -- is -- taking good care of Sarah."

"Yeah... Ziva, look, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean all that stuff I said. I was just trying to not look like I didn't know what I was doing in front of McGoo, that's all. I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Forgive me? Please?"

"Oh, Tony... I will forgive you. This time."

"Glad we got that cleared up. Now, uh, there's just one more thing -- before we head home?"

"And what is that?"

"I can't find my boxers anywhere. Did Probie use them as a cleaning rag when he wiped down the engine?"

"Perhaps. You are going commander, then?"

"Commando, Sweet Cheeks. And yes. Yes, I am."

-------------------------------------------

"Honey, we're home! Abs! Abby! Yo, Abs?"

"That's AUNT Abby to you and quit yelling, Tony. You'll wake up Sarah. AND Timmy."

"McGoo's here? UNCLE Timmy? What's the story there, Abs? Big night, huh? Heh... OWWW!"

"You shut your porky mouth, Mister! Timmy slept over to help me look after Sarah and he was tired after helping YOU fix your car!"

"I know. Sorry, Abs."

"Where's Ziva?"

"Home. Sleeping. Good thing one of us is. I'm wiped out."

"And dirty, too. Come back after you've had a shower. Or six."

"OK... Hey, will you thank McGee for me, too?"

"Sure. Anything special you want me to tell him?"

"Yeeeahhh... Tell him Papa Tony said 'Thanks, Uncle Timmy.'"


	11. The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Title: The Lion Sleeps Tonight  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: When Ziva's away, Tony and Baby Sarah play  
**  
-------------------- The Lion Sleeps Tonight ---------------------**

"GRRRROWWWWLLL!"

A giant lion peeked out from behind the sofa in Ziva's apartment, looking at the tiny baby girl lying on her back in the middle of the living room floor. The baby clutched at the blanket beneath her and giggled.

"RRRRRROAAAAARRRRRR!"

The lion jumped from its hiding place suddenly and hopped toward the baby, who shrieked with delight.

"RRRRRROAAAAARRRR! RRRROWWWWWWRRRRRRR!!!"

Now the beast was right over the girl, shaking his furry brown mane as he stared down at her. She screamed, clapping and kicking, as she grasped up at his nose. Kicking furiously, she squealed as the lion lowered his yellow face towards hers...

... and gave her a soft kiss, ending with a loud "MMMMM-WAAAAH!"

Next the lion kissed her tummy in the same way and the baby laughed uncontrollably, shrieks of joy echoing through the room.

"Okay... OHHHH-KAAAAAY... SARAH..."

Tony set Hairy Lion down next to him and picked up Baby Sarah, hugging her to his chest. She continued laughing and kicking.

"SARAH... Saaaaa-rah... SSSSSHHHHH! Calm DOWN, sweetiecakes! Sssssshhhhhh! Snugglepumpkin... Shhhhhh! Shhhh... Shhh... Okay... Oooohhh-kaaaay... Thaaaaat's my sweet girl..."

-------------------------------------------

From her place on the sofa, Baby Sarah had a front row seat for the evening performance of "Cats."

Tony The Tiger sang and danced for his little girlfriend, turning around every so often to shake his stripey tail (and booty!) just for Sarah, which never failed to get her giggling.

"Shake, shake, shake... dah-dah-DAH-dah-dah-DAHHHHH... SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE... DAH-DAH-DAH-DAH-DAH-DAAAAHHHHH... SHAKE YO' BOOO-TAAY... SHAKE YO' BOOOOOO-TAAAY..." Tony Tiger sang at the top of his lungs, kicking his furry legs Rockette-style as he gyrated his stumpy, fuzzy arms clockwise and then counterclockwise. At the end of his routine, Sarah squeaked "GAH!" and fell forward on the sofa as she grasped to hug him.

For a second, the room was silent.

And then Sarah's laughter filled the air as Tony Tiger's fuzzy, stripey tail (and booty!) met her little face, shaking like crazy, as he softly sang "Shake yo' BOOOO-taaaay! Shake yo' BOOOOOOO-taaaay! SHAKE! Shake! SHAKE! Shake!"

-------------------------------------------

Upon entering her apartment, Ziva found Tony and Baby Sarah in their familiar position on the sofa -- Tony lying flat on his back, pillows behind his head as he flipped from channel to channel with the TV remote; and Sarah's tiny form sprawled on his chest, sound asleep. Tony The Tiger watched the TV from his perch atop his namesake's head, his four fuzzy legs hanging right over Tony The Non-Tiger's ears. Hairy Lion kept guard over everything at the end of the sofa, resting on Tony Non-Tiger's feet.

"Tony..." Ziva whispered, putting down her purse. "There is a wild beast on your head. And another at your feet."

"Yeah," Tony whispered back. "And a Cuddlemuffin on my chest. She's the one I gotta worry about. I can take the other two. But the kid? She's a tough one. Tiny, but kicks like a little ninja."

Ziva smiled, snickering.

"Where could she have possibly learned that, hm? I wonder."

Tony's green eyes sparkled, fixing on Ziva in the dim light.

"A real mystery. I don't know any ninjas."

"You don't?" Ziva raised an eyebrow teasingly at Tony as she joined him on the sofa, gently moving Hairy Lion to a safe place on the floor in front of the couch as she took his place at Tony's feet. Tony shifted carefully to keep from waking Sarah, moving his legs so that Ziva could slide in. Once settled, Ziva tenderly positioned herself between Tony's strong calves, stroking the hair on his lower legs and reveling in the feel of his skin and the muscles beneath. She had been thinking of him all day, wanting him, and now she could finally again be with him.

"Okay... maybe one." Tony looked down at the baby snoozing on his chest. "Or two."

-------------------------------------------

Much later, as they lay tangled in bedsheets, sweaty and exhausted from making love, Tony and Ziva quietly talked about the future -- theirs together, a happy conversation, and then, sadly, what would become of Baby Sarah. The latter was a topic they'd been avoiding but now, after Ziva had gotten a call that day from Sarah's social worker, they found themselves forced to face the harsh reality of losing the baby.

"The social worker says that she has found a couple wishing to adopt Sarah," Ziva said, absentmindedly caressing Tony's chest hair as she stared blankly out the bedroom window. "They have two small children of their own but would like to adopt a baby."

"But Sarah's happy _here_," Tony said. "With _you_... With... I mean, she thinks of you as her mom now. _You're_ her mother, Z. Anyone can tell."

"She is happy with you, _too_, Tony," Ziva replied, knowing Tony wanted to say as much but had held back. "And _you_ have become Sarah's true father. She has loved you since the first time she saw you. She adores you."

Tony kissed Ziva's forehead in the dim light, pulling her to him tightly.

"We can't lose her. What are we gonna do?" Tony's voice cracked, the raw emotion of the situation overtaking him.

"I do not know, Tony." Ziva raised up, propping herself on one arm next to Tony's side so that she could look him directly in the eye. Stroking his face tenderly, she brushed away the tears that had started streaming down his cheek.

"We will figure something out, my love. Sarah will _always_ be ours. In some way."

-------------------------------------------

In Baby Sarah's nursery, the elephant nightlight flickered for a few seconds but soon came back on fully, filling the room with gentle, pink light. Hairy Lion watched over Sarah's crib, as he did every night, from his post by the rocking chair.

Under her soft blanket, Sarah snuggled with Tony The Tiger, who she held closely against her side. Her small hand gripped him fiercely as she suddenly kicked violently, a little cry of fear escaping her tiny mouth.

But then, she sighed and was still again. A soft "ma" followed by "dah" broke the silence in the nursery, with only a fuzzy striped tiger and a giant lion there to hear.


	12. We've Only Just Begun

Title: We've Only Just Begun  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony pops the question. Will Ziva say yes?  
**  
-------------------- We've Only Just Begun ---------------------**

The words hung in the air, suspended in the resulting silence.

Ziva wanted desperately to answer. She'd practiced the answer so many times in her fantasies.

But now that answer, so perfectly formed in all those scenarios over the years, wouldn't come.

All that remained was the devastated look on Tony's face, the look that would stay seared in Ziva's consciousness as she watched him rise from one knee, snap shut the small jewelry box, swallow hard as tears came to his green eyes and walk away.

-------------------------------------------

Eli David, used to being awakened at all hours of the night with calls from various Mossad agents regarding important state affairs, roused himself from sleep and flipped open his cellphone.

"_Shalom_," he said groggily, running a large hand through his thick, graying hair.

_"Ziva... Hakol beseder? Mah yesh? Neshomeleh... Neshomeleh... Ani lo mevin... Oi... Oi... Vadai, beVadai, tateleh! Ani ohev otach, neshomeleh..."_

After sending his daughter all his love from Tel Aviv, Eli hit another button on his phone.

"_Shalom_," the big man said, now fully awake.

And the arrangements were made. Quickly. Putting down his phone, Eli sighed and arose from his warm bed. From his massive closet, he chose one of his finest suits. Heading for his bathroom, he flipped on the light, readied his shower and studied his reflection in the mirror just as steam began to cloud the glass.

-------------------------------------------

"WHO is the lovely princess I see before me?"

"Papa, Sarah is not here. She is with Abby."

"I was talking about you, my darling. Come here, _neshomeleh_..."

"Oh, Papa..." Ziva embraced her father tightly, grateful to be swallowed up in his strong arms as she began to weep.

"There, there... No... No, _tateleh_..." Eli murmured, stroking his daughter's long, black hair. "Do not cry. Everything will be fine. You will see. Papa is here... Papa is here."

-------------------------------------------

"Drowning your sorrows, I see. That's one way of dealing with a problem. Another is to just face it head-on, figure out what's wrong and solve it."

Tony raised his head from the bar. A half-circle of shot glasses surrounded the space where he'd been dozing.

"Probie?" Tony asked, drunkenly.

"Yeah, Tony," Tim said, taking the empty stool beside him. "I'd ask how it's going but I can see for myself."

"It's goin' GRRR-EAT, Probie," Tony slurred, turning towards Tim, placing his hand on McGee's shoulder. "Jusht FINE."

"Tony..." Tim said flatly, "You've got a Beer Nut on your face."

"And I WANT it there, McKHILLjhoy!" Fumbling for the Beer Nut, Tony found it, stared drunkenly at it and then popped it into his mouth before again resting his head onto the bar. Tim gagged, turning away for a moment, before summoning the guts to look his friend in the eye once more -- by also resting HIS head on the bar.

"Okay, listen," Tim said. "Abby says Ziva's a wreck and Sarah won't stop crying -- and you know that's not like Sarah at ALL. OR like Ziva. What the heck happened?"

"ZHEE-vah doesn't wanna MARRY me, PROBIE!" Tony sputtered, motioning for the bartender. "I got down on one KNEE! I showed her the RING! And I ASKED her, McNO... McNO-ZHEE! I ASKED her... I shaid... 'ZHEE-vah! I love you SHO mush! Will you MARRY me?' And you wanna know what she SHAID, Probie? Wanna... _*hic*_ ... know? She didn't shay... _*hic*_ ... NOTHIN'! NOT A WORD, PROBIE... _*hic*_ ... WAN!"

"Maybe she was stunned, Tony. Maybe she COULDN'T answer. Sometimes a woman gets nervous when a man asks her to be his wife. Maybe Ziva just wasn't prepared..."

"PREPARED?!!!" Tony signaled for the bartender to bring two more shots. "What... What was I... _*hic*_ ...SH'POSED to do, McGEEN-USH? Send over a... _*hic*_ ... _*hic*_ ... lil' messenger boy? 'Hey, ZHEE-vah! Tony's gonna... _*hic*_ ... ask you to MARRY him! PREPARE yourshelf! ... _*hic*_ ..."

"You know what I mean. And right now, you're acting ridiculous. If you don't pull it together, you're going to lose Ziva -- AND Sarah. Abby said to find you and bring you back to her place and she'll kill me if I don't. So let's go."

"Shorry, McGoody Two Shoooz, but I gotta couple more... _*hic*_ ... rounds comin'."

"No, you don't. Come on."

"Get ... _*hic*_ .... LOSSSSHHHHT, Probie!"

"DAMMIT, TONY! I'VE HAD IT! NOW MOVE, DiNOZZO! BEFORE I HAVE TO KICK YOUR ASS!" Tim yelled, the fury and frustration evident in his voice. The entire bar fell silent.

Tony picked his head up from the bar slowly. Swaying, he tried to stare down McGee.

"All you had to DO wash... _*hic*_ ... shay 'PLEASH,' Mc... _*hic*_ ... GHEE," Tony said quietly as he tried to stand.

Catching Tony in his arms, Tim wondered how he would explain Tony's condition to Abby.

_Please, Lord_, he thought, _just don't let the Sisters be there celebrating a 300 game._

-------------------------------------------

"_HI_, _honey!_ We're... _*hic*_ ... HOME!" Tony, leaning on Tim for support, greeted Abby with a boozy smile.

"Get him OUT of here." Abby said in a quiet, bitter voice to Tim, slamming the door.

"HEY!" Tony yelled angrily. "C'MON ABBSSSHHHH!"

"Dammit, Tony," Tim said, pulling his drunken friend back to the car.

-------------------------------------------

"You've got to help me," Tim pleaded. "Abby won't let us in because she doesn't want him around the baby, I'm afraid to take him to Ziva's and I can't get through to him. Please help me."

"I ... am... FINE!" Tony protested loudly, stumbling as Tim led him cautiously down the stairs.

In the dim light, a figure watched the pathetic scene before him.

"Sit down and shut up, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, his voice eerily soft.

-------------------------------------------

When Eli and Ziva arrived at Abby's, Baby Sarah was sleeping -- fitfully. Little cries broke the silence of her breathing every so often and she kicked her little legs as if running from something.

"Ziva, I am SO sorry!" Abby whispered. "She just wouldn't stop crying no matter what I did. I just got her to sleep, sad little Bunny."

"It is okay, Abby. She is just upset. And I appreciate you taking care of her today -- so much. Thank you." Looking around past the sleeping baby, Ziva asked, "Where is Tony?"

"Oh," Abby said sadly, "Timmy brought him by and, well, he wasn't in any condition to see the baby so... I ... I sent them away. Maybe I shouldn't have but I just didn't want Baby Sarah seeing him like that, y'know?"

"I was talking about her toy tiger," Ziva replied. "He is not sleeping with her and she never goes to sleep without him. But what do you mean that Tony was not in any 'condition to see the baby'?"

Abby retrieved a small, fuzzy tiger from where it had been sitting on the couch, thoughtfully propped on a pillow with a blanket over its bottom half. It looked something like a little child, convalescing under covers to stay warm.

"Poor guy... Every time I put him next to her in the crib, she screamed and threw him as far away from her as she could. Man, she's got an arm! I felt kinda bad for Mister Stripeypants here so I put him somewhere safe."

Ziva couldn't help but smile slightly. Abby's heart was so tender. Eli walked over to the crib, staring down at Baby Sarah, who balled her tiny fist, kicking.

"Abby?" Ziva prompted gently. "What happened with _my_ Tony? He was not well?" Ziva had a feeling that Tony's 'condition' was likely what it had been after Jenny's death... which meant that it involved too much alcohol.

"Ummm..." Abby scrunched up her face, trying to find the best answer possible.

"Never mind. I understand. Papa, do you mind staying here with Abby and Sarah for a short while? I need to find Tony. It is time he and I talked."

"It would be my great pleasure to be the guest of such a lovely young lady," Eli said, winking at Abby.

"Right back at you, Big D," Abby replied. "I mean, Eli. I mean, Mr. David. I mean, _sir_." As Ziva exited, Abby suddenly snapped to attention. Eli laughed quietly, giving her the 'at ease' sign. In her crib, Baby Sarah sighed loudly and whimpered before dozing off again.

-------------------------------------------

"Please..." Tony gasped, "No more of that... _*gag*_ ... motor oil."

"It's coffee, DiNozzo," Gibbs replied, "and you'll drink it until you sober up."

"I'm too drunk to be sober," Tony protested, gagging at the smell of the ultra-strong coffee Gibbs was freshly brewing. "Where's McChauffeur, anyway?"

"Sleepin'. Upstairs. Here ya go. Bottoms up."

"I take it all back, Boss. I'm fine now. Totally sober. Sober as a judge. SOBER-ER than a judge! You find a judge and I'll make HIM look like a drunk, Boss!"

"Start drinkin', DiNozzo."

Tony retched as he lifted the coffee cup to his lips. The sight of the black liquid made him physically ill. He began to take a drink but stopped at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Gibbs?"

"Ziva!" Setting down the cup, Tony started up the basement stairs, only to fall flat as he stumbled over his own feet. At the top of the stairs, Ziva stood staring down at him.

"Hello, Tony." Ziva worked to keep her voice steady.

Tony stared up at her, his green eyes wide with a mix of fear, pain, shame and hurt. He was embarrassed about having gotten drunk but still felt hurt by Ziva's not having answered his proposal.

"Take it upstairs, you two," Gibbs said quietly as he began sanding his latest boat. He studied the grain of the wood, squinting. "Don't wake Tim."

Tony gathered himself and followed Ziva into Gibbs' den. On the fireplace mantel was a single picture in a frame -- Shannon and Kelly, smiling. Tony found himself staring at it forlornly in the dim light. _Gibbs had a family_, Tony thought.

"Ask me again," Ziva said.

"Huh?" Tony turned toward her, her voice having broken his momentary reverie.

"Ask me again, Tony," Ziva repeated, "to be your wife. Please?" Her lip quivered. Ziva's eyes searched Tony's.

Tony stood, uncertain of what to do, his eyes locked with Ziva's.

After a minute, he approached her and got down onto one knee. Taking a small jewelry case from his pocket, he opened it, revealing a silver ring. A small diamond sparkled in the fading light.

With his right hand, Tony took Ziva's left hand. Planting a tender kiss on her palm, Tony gazed up at her. At last, he spoke.

"Ziva... I love you -- with all my heart and my soul. You're the only woman I want to be with and I would be honored if you would let me spend the rest of my life loving you. Ziva, will you marry me?"

The tears fell, as they had earlier that day, but this time Ziva found her voice -- jubilant and strong -- and the words she'd dreamed of saying so many times before.

"Oh, Tony... I love you, too. Yes... Yes, Tony. I will marry you."

Tony placed the engagement ring on her finger and rose up to face his fianceé. Slipping his arms around her slender waist, he gently pulled her to him, his lips parting to meet hers in a passionate embrace.

-------------------------------------------

"I say we give it one more shot, Big D. Whaddaya think?"

"You are a wise woman, Miss Sciuto. I am in complete agreement."

As Abby pulled back the blanket covering Tony The Tiger, Eli plucked the fuzzy toy from the sofa. Baby Sarah was now much calmer, sleeping quietly, her tiny right arm straight out beside her as if to hug something that wasn't there. Abby brought her index finger to her lips as Eli, raising an eyebrow in her direction, positioned himself over the crib.

"One... Two... Three...," Abby whispered. "You go, Big Guy!"

Carefully and quickly, Eli lifted Sarah's little arm, tucking Tony The Tiger in her tiny grasp. She snuggled up to the toy in a familiar manner, sighing contentedly as she woke, only for a split second, and then just as suddenly fell asleep again. "Tah," she murmured, drifting off.

A huge smile crossed Eli's face as Abby crossed her arms, winking at him.

"Nice work... GRANPA!" Abby whispered. "Let's go celebrate. Ice cream sundaes on me. To the kitchen, _sir_, if you please!"

"Miss Sciuto, you are a woman after my own heart," Eli replied, whispering as he offered Abby his arm. "Now... tell me again about this coffin you sleep in. I find this quite interesting..."


	13. Where The Boys Are

Title: Where The Boys Are  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva and Baby Sarah are at Abby's for Girls' Night. Which means Tony is...?

**-------------------- Where The Boys Are ---------------------**

"It's NOT fair! Nobody asked ME what I was doing tonight. Maybe I had plans -- BIG plans! Plans for ALL of us! FUN plans! Plans that involved a fancy dinner at that expensive restaurant SOMEBODY'S been dropping hints that she'd like to go to! PLANS where I had to blow-dry my CHEST HAIR so it'd be EXTRA-FLUFFY for LATER ON when we were ALONE! PLANS that..."

"ENOUGH! You have known for a WEEK that Sarah and I were going to Abby's for Girls' Night this evening. And you said nothing when I told you."

"Oh! OH! Um... And exactly WHEN did you lay this bit of information on me?"

"Last Friday night, just after Abby called and told me of the idea."

"And what was I DOING last Friday night? Huh? HUH?"

"As I recall, Tony, you were nearly comatose on the couch watching the Black Birds play the Red ones. Sarah was sitting on your chest, smacking you about the head with Tony Tiger!"

"FIRST of all, Sweet Cheeks, they're not the 'Black Birds,' they're the ORIOLES and the RED ones are the CARDINALS. It was interleague baseball! I was into the game! It's un-American to pay attention to anything that doesn't involve balls and strikes and cans of corn and Uncle Charlies when the National Pastime's on TV! Have I taught you NOTHING during our relationship, my ninja? Frankly, I'm a little disappointed. I really am. And that tiger's not as soft as he looks. Or else the baby's gettin' even stronger. And that's kinda scary 'cause she's already a little Atlas. Either way, I was defenseless."

"What... ? No! NO, Tony, you are NOT laying this... this... GUILT TREK on me because YOU were not listening when I told you of my plans for this weekend."

"Guilt TRIP, Sugar Puff. There's no such thing as a 'guilt trek.'"

"And why not? Please -- explain to me the difference between a trip and a trek. Are they not both extended periods of time spent in pursuit of an ultimate destination?"

"Okay, y'know what? I can't win. So I'm just gonna stop talking now."

"Allow me to mark the date and time. This is truly a momentous occasion."

-------------------------------------------

"And then she packed up all Sarah's stuff, grabbed Snugglepumpkin and Tony T., hopped in that little BOX she calls a CAR and zoomed off to Abby's for GIRRRRRRLS' NIGHT! HAH! GIRLS' NIGHT! When ISN'T it Girls' Night these days? We men get NOTHING, Probie! We're lucky if there's a cold one left for us in the fridge when we get done with the dishes. That's what it's come to in this modern age of women's liberation and the sexual revolution. Oh, the shame. What would McQueen say?"

"You do the dishes, Tony?"

"Ziva's a trained assassin, McSnarky. Kills with a flick of the wrist when necessary. Would YOU say no?"

"Point well taken."

"Sarah's gonna pick up on this, y'know. Oh ho HO, she will! They get 'em started young on the 'I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar' train. A couple more nights out with the girls and my Cuddlemuffin won't wanna sleep on my chest anymore. Oh, noooo... she'll say it's demeaning and that it offends her sensibilities. When she learns to actually form words. Or even real syllables. But it's comin', McSensitive. I can sense it the way I can sense when the Ole Man's sneakin' up from behind me. He's losing his touch. The days when Gibbs could just show up without me knowing he was there are..."

"... alive and well, DiNozzo?"

"BOSS! Ha HAH! Pull up a barstool! Heck, take McGEE'S barstool! Heh! (Psst! On your feet, Probie. Senior Field Agent's orders.)"

"Ignore him, McGee."

"Already on it, Boss."

"Hey, barkeep! Another round -- add a bourbon for the Bossman here! The next round's on McGee, Boss. I'll get the round after whatever round he doesn't get."

"McGee..."

"Continuing to pay absolutely NO mind, Boss."

"No hot date tonight, Boss? Can't wait to hear why you're spending a Friday with the Lord of the Ring-Dings. Heh..."

"Says the man whose suits are all too tight. And who's been sitting here with me, drowning his sorrows for two hours."

"You'll pay for that, Probie. *snarl* ..."

"We're goin' fishin' tomorrow, DiNozzo. Plannin' where we're gonna set out in the mornin'."

"Fishing? Heyyyyy... I love fishing! Ah, wilderness... Yeah, there's nothin' like getting back to nature is there, Boss? The scent of the pines in the forest... the quiet solace of the lake..."

"Yep. Fishin's REAL quiet. They don't like a lotta yappin'."

"Just man vs. beast. Or... fish. The thrill of the hunt. Catchin' your sustenance. Reawakening your inner caveman."

"Does your inner caveman ever pipe down, DiNozzo?"

"Not sure, Boss. He's been repressed for years. Too many expensive Italian suits and late nights spent reading 'Pat The Bunny' to a freakishly strong baby girl who sleeps only when the need suits her. Her boyfriend is a stuffed tiger, you know."

"I think Tony's inner caveman is missing his Sweet Cheeks and Snugglepumpkin right now, Boss. They're at Abby's for Girls' Night."

"Yeah, Girls' Night... Goin' over there in a few minutes myself."

"Huh? But... Boss! It's GIRLS' Night -- Ziva told me Abs said NO boys allowed. Period."

"I'm not a boy, DiNozzo."

-------------------------------------------

"TONY! What are you doing here, man? When I have a GIRLS' Night, it's for GIRLS! G-I-R-L-S! As in, Not Boys? No hairy Y-chromosomes allowed! So... you know I love you with all my heart of hearts but... AM-SCRAY!"

"NO! I just ran into the Boss at the bar and HE said HE was comin' to Girls' Night. So if HE's comin', I'M comin'!"

"Um... Okay... Seriously don't make me go Lesley Gore on you because it's MY party!"

"And you broke your OWN 'no boys' rule by letting GIBBS come!"

"Abby's Rule Number 17: Mi casa es Gibbs' casa."

"TONY'S Rule Number Right Now: Get OUTTA my WAY or I'll hold you down and spray-tan you."

"Ewwww! Your Rule wins. But you CANNOT have any of my super-delicious secret recipe salsa! And I know how you love dips."

"Well, I know how YOU love dips, too, Abs. Yours? Is out in the car. So why don't you go tell McGuacamole that it's Macarena time and he should come in and merengue on down?"

"Revenge will be mine for this, Tony. Fear the lab, man. FEAR the lab."

"You and your giant Caf-Pows don't scare me, Abby. I live with a knife-wielding ninja. And a super-baby whose apparent goal in her young life is ripping out every hair on my chest one by one because it brings her joy. Speaking of my angel assassin, where is she? And where's my darling little human razor blade? AND Mister Stripeypants, WHO, I promise you, is NOT as soft and cuddly as he LOOKS?!!!"

-------------------------------------------

"Sweet Cheeks... you look ravishing."

"Tony? What are you doing here? It is Girls' Night. Abby specifically said..."

"... no boys allowed, I know. But I'm not a boy. I'm a ..."

"... man, DiNozzo?"

"Boss. Didn't even see you leave the bar."

"Didn't make a production of it. Took ya long enough to show up. Anyone ever tell you what a slow driver you are, DiNozzo?"

"YES, Gibbs! I have repeatedly told Tony to stoop on it when he is behind the wheel!"

"The term is STEP on it, my love. And thanks for that, Boss."

"My pleasure."

"THERE's my SarahBear! Come to Papa Tony, Smoochiecoochie!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"... or you go snuggle up with BossBoss. (Kid's got a set of lungs, eh, Boss? Heh... _*shudder*_ ...)"

"She's a goooooood girrrl, aren't ya, Sarah?"

"Gah. ... _*giggle*_ ..."

"Don't anyone mind ME... I'll just go huddle up in the corner over here with Probie. Talk a little shop. Maybe a little sports."

"Better check with Abs before ya get started, DiNozzo. I think McGee's otherwise occupied."

"Dear GOD! Who knew McHooverVac could suck face like that? PROBIE! Control yourself! My baby girl's watching!"

"Not anymore, Tony. I'm takin' Sarah outside to look at the stars. It's quieter out there."

"Yeah, GREAT idea, Boss! Ha HAH! You just take your SWEET TIME ... swiping my adorable little baby right... out from under me. Heck, I'm just the guy who feeds her and bathes her and sings her bad '80s songs and ... loses clumps of chest hair to make her happy. _*sigh*_ ..."

-------------------------------------------

"I have heard that in America, parties often find their way into the hosts' kitchen. In this case, I suppose you are a one-man party, Tony?"

"Oh yeah, Ziva. That's ALL me. Party Central. Right here."

"You are not having fun?"

"I'm bursting at the seams with joy."

"Girls' Night has been ruined."

"Sorry."

"Do not be. Abby and I agreed that what Girls' Night most needed were boys."

"Obviously. McKissyFace hasn't seen this much action since the new Wii came out."

"You are jealous?"

"Not jealous, Ziva. Just..."

"Jealous?"

"... jealous. Probie's got Abby, Gibbs has Snugglemuffin. I got nothin'."

"Oh. I see."

"Well, you're mad at me."

"I did not say that."

"We argued and you raced off with Sarah earlier."

"That was before. Things have changed. I am now seeing you in a different light, Tony."

"And what light is that, Ziva?"

"Well, I know that you are a far better kisser than is McGee. And that fact is quite illuminating."

"Because...?"

"... because it has me wanting to kiss you now, Tony."

"Oh, that."

"Will you indulge me, my Furry Bear?"

"Sure thing, baby. I mean, it IS Girls' Night."


	14. No Surprise

Title: No Surprise  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony misses his own birthday party. Ziva's not pleased.

**-------------------- No Surprise ---------------------**

"Probie ... I wanna ... _*hic*_ ... wanna tell you somethin'..." Tony fixed McGee with a drunken stare.

"Oh, God." McGee squirmed on his barstool, nursing his ginger ale. "Tony, please. Don't."

"C'mere, Lil' Mc... _*hic*_ ... McBuddy..." Tony leaned over towards McGee, putting his arm around Tim's shoulders and pulling him close. Tim shivered. Tony brought his lips right up to McGee's ear. "You're... HELLUVA ... _*hic*_ ... McGUY! Best. Birthday. Bar. Bash. ... _*hic*_ ... EVER!"

Gagging from the smell of liquor on Tony's breath in his face, Tim retched before saying "Thank you, Tony. But we're the only two people here."

"Which means MORE ... _*hic*_ ... MORE ALCOHOL FOR US, McRager!" Tony yelled, spinning around suddenly on his barstool. "BARKEEP! 'NOTHER ROUND! On my ... _*hic*_ ... BEST FRIEND Mc... _*hic*_ ... McGLEE here!" When the bartender came to clear the jenga-like stack of shot glasses Tony had carefully built on the bar, Tony again grabbed Tim and loudly bragged "Kid's a ... _*hic*_ ... a compuper... _*hic* ... *hic*_... COMPUKER GEEEEEEEEN-YUUUUUSHHHH!" Putting an unsteady index finger to his lips, Tony continued loudly "SHHHHH!!!! McGLEEEEE!!! QUIT YELLIN'!!!"

"Um... Tony? I think you're in enough of a celebratory mood," McGee, locked in Tony's embrace, said calmly. "We should go."

"Oh, PROBEEEE... _*hic*_ ... Probeeee, Probeeee, PROWWWW-BEEEEEEE..." Tony half-fell off his barstool. Tim hurried to brace him and Tony responded with a frighteningly strong bearhug. "What'd I ... _*hic*_ ... do without 'cha? ... _*hic*_ ... You ... _*hic* ... *hic* ... *hic*_ ... you take CA-CAAAAAARE of meeee ... _*hic*_ ... Mu-GHHHEEEEEEE! ... _*sob*_ ... I ... I LOOOOOVE YOOOOOU, MAAAAANNNN! ... _*sob* ... *whimper*_ ..."

McGee made a disgusted face that Tony couldn't see.

"I, uh... love you... too. Man."

_Is this Hell on Earth, God?_ Tim thought, turning his eyes Heavenward, as Tony hugged him even tighter, using McGee's brand new dress shirt to blow his nose. _Because really? REALLY?!!!_

-------------------------------------------

"Isn't this just like your old sniper-y, laying in wait for the bad guys days, Gibbs?" Abby asked brightly.

"No."

"Abigail, the POINT of a surprise party is for the celebrant to be SURPRISED," Ducky said. "Now, if we are bandying about queries as to Jethro's former Marine days, how can Anthony POSSIBLY not hear us yammering and FAIL to be..."

"Ah, Duck?" Gibbs said in a whisper. "Think ya just answered your own question."

"Well, I suppose I DID, Jethro! Carry on, then." Ducky laughed, quieting down. Gibbs winked at Abby, who was giving Ducky a quizzical look. Abby shrugged, smiled at Gibbs, sipped her giant Caf-Pow, and went back to watching the door.

Jimmy fumbled for the tiny button on his wristwatch that lit the display.

"It's almost nine now," he whispered, pushing up his glasses. "I thought Agent McGee was supposed to have Tony here by..."

"Eight," Ziva said flatly, disappointment and, now, a touch of anger sounding in her voice. "They are running behind schedule. As usual."

Baby Sarah napped on the couch, unaware of the plans going on around her, with Ducky's two dogs snuggled next to her, snoring away. Tony The Tiger lay in his usual place at Sarah's side, looking particularly handsome in a special red bow tie Ducky brought him for just this occasion as well as his conical party hat reading "HAPPY BIRTHDAY."

-------------------------------------------

As soon as Tim hit the speed-dial button on his cellphone, he knew he'd had it.

What would it be? Glock to the back of the head while he slept one night? A knife slicing his throat silently, ending it all? Maybe just one karate kick to the solar plexus, stopping his heart immediately. _The kick wouldn't be so bad_, he thought. _It would be fast, anyway._ _Probably painless, relatively speaking and..._

"Ziva! Hey!" Tim did his best to sound cheerful.

"McGEE!" Ziva barked. "WHERE are YOU and WHERE is..."

"ZEEEEEEEEE-VAAAAAAAAAH! HAAAAAAAY!" Tony drunkenly mocked Tim, having grabbed the phone from him. "Been ... _*hic*_ ... sh-shellabratin', baby... My... bur... _*hic*_ ... bur-burpfthday..." Tony began loudly singing a horrid rendition of the "Happy Birthday" song as Tim wrested the phone away from him.

"Heh... Sorry about that. He, um, he's not... feeling well," Tim stuttered into the phone as Tony's singing grew louder (and worse) in the background.

"He is DRUNK!" Ziva angrily corrected. "YOU were supposed to take him for ONE drink, McGee! ONE!" At the word 'drunk,' the rest of the group emerged from their hiding places. Jimmy, however, appeared to be looking for somewhere new to hide -- from Ziva. Abby and Ducky exchanged concerned glances. Gibbs snickered into his red plastic cup of punch.

"It's complicated," Tim said, suddenly met with a dial tone. Flipping the phone closed, he sighed. "Looks like you're staying with me tonight, Tony. Ziva's furious that you're plastered and... Tony? Tony?"

An inhumanly loud snore answered McGee from the passenger's seat. Tim shook his head and drove to his loft, mentally figuring the logistics of exactly how he'd get the birthday boy out of the car, up a couple flights of stairs and into the apartment.  
_  
Next year for your birthday, I'm giving you a vacation, Tony_, Tim thought as he neared his place. _I'M getting OUT OF TOWN for the WHOLE week._

-------------------------------------------

Exhausted after managing to haul a half-sleeping, wholly unsteady Tony up to his loft, where he installed his drunken friend on the couch, McGee retired to his bedroom and literally passed out onto the mattress, not bothering to take off his work clothes.

Tim was asleep in minutes, but Tony, who'd slept in the car, now found himself awake, absolutely disoriented, completely unsure of where he was and feeling incredibly sick from the night of overindulging. He began to sweat profusely, suddenly feeling a need to strip naked in order to try cooling off. Tearing his clothes off quickly, Tony flung them around the strange room, unable to see anything in the darkness. _Bathroom... FAST_, he thought, stumbling around wherever it was he'd ended up.

Now running through the pitch blackness, Tony pushed through the first door he came to... and was unable to contain himself, literally, as the evening's many shots of liquor returned to greet him rudely. He fell onto something that was oddly soft and yet firmly immobile. As he continued heaving up the night's memories, the thought that this wasn't a bathroom only briefly passed through Tony's head. Dripping sweat and as sick as he could ever remember, all he could focus on was not blacking out.

The soft lump moved.

"Wha... AAAAAUUUUUGGGGGGHHH! GOD! GAHHHH! TONY! WHAT THE HELL?!!! OH... GOD!!!" Tim, waking to find himself covered with upchuck as a heaving, perspiring, naked Tony hung over him on all fours -- about to lose it again any second, was in a state of shock and utter disgust.

"Puh... Probie..." Tony panted, nearly breathless from all the rounds of sickness, "... help me. Please..." Pale, shaking and clammy from being so violently ill, Tony began to sob uncontrollably. Furious as he was, McGee couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

"Okay... okay..." Tim said reassuringly, gingerly extricating himself from the filthy bed. Getting out of his reeking, slimy clothes and into a t-shirt and clean boxers as quickly as he could, he returned to where Tony, on his hands and knees, remained retching and dry heaving atop the bed. Gagging at the sight and smell before him, Tim mustered the guts to try getting Tony to the bathroom.

"Tony," he said quietly but firmly, "we've got to get you to the bathroom. You're going to have to help me, OK? Just... take your time. I'll get you there. It's just over here. Come on, now."

Slowly and miserably, Tony groggily half-crawled off the bed to sit on the edge, gathering himself. Tim helped him up, using extreme care.

"McGee..." Tony sobbed, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Too sick to continue, Tony's sobs spoke for him.

"It's okay, Tony," Tim said softly. "What's a Little Buddy for?" He tried smiling at Tony but his friend was too weak to notice. McGee felt horrible for him and wanted to tell Tony that this stuff happened and don't worry -- no one would ever know about this -- but Tim knew that he and Tony would remember and Tony would always feel ashamed at being drunk, sick and, mainly, naked in front of him. Tim didn't care about any of that. But Tony, who prided himself on always being 'one-up' on Tim, would.

Together, one nightmarish step at a time, the pair made their way to the bathroom. Tim ran a cool, but not cold, shower as Tony hugged the toilet. Finally, when there was nothing left for Tony to bring back up, he crawled into the shower and sat there, his head throbbing as the room spun around him, while the cool water streamed over him, cleaning the filth off his chest and chin. _Idiot_, Tony thought, opening his eyes momentarily to look at himself, naked and bloated from drinking, _Stupid idiot. McGee hates me._

Back in the bedroom, Tim sighed, quietly pulled up the sheets and quilt from his bed, shuddering at how awful it all was, and made a determined beeline for his laundry area.

-------------------------------------------

When Ziva came to pick Tony up at Tim's, she had her speech ready: First, she would tell Tony how he'd ruined the surprise party she'd carefully planned out for so many weeks. Next, he'd hear about how their friends had wasted an evening waiting on him to arrive; getting them all together for the party had NOT been easy. Then would come the big finish -- the part about how his getting drunk had been embarrassing -- for everyone, not just her (or him) -- and had concerned everyone. They were worried about him; nobody was all that angry that he'd missed the party (except, really, for Ziva) but they wanted to make sure Tony was OK.

The evening ended early with Abby, always looking for a chance to babysit, heading home with Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger, looking sharp in his party gear, in tow. Ducky's dogs had been reluctant to say goodbye to their new little friend, whimpering as Dr. Mallard, with Jimmy's fumbling help, fussily ushered them off to his car. Capping it off, Gibbs simply toasted Ziva with his red cup, saying only "Helluva party" with a knowing smirk on his face. All of it made her that much more angry with Tony.

Banging on Tim's door, Ziva scowled at the thought of seeing Tony's "morning after" face -- haggard, pale, unshaven. She'd seen him this way before and it wasn't a look she found attractive.

Tim answered, immediately putting his index finger to his lips, making a "SHHHHH!" sound... that Ziva chose to ignore.

"WHERE is HE?!!!" she demanded, yelling as loudly as possible on purpose. She wanted Tony to hear how furious she was.

"Ziva," McGee half-whispered, "please... Don't, OK? Just... let Tony sleep. You don't understand..."

"Oh, I completely UNDERSTAND, McGEE!" Ziva countered, turning her wrath on Tim as she pushed her way towards his bedroom. "YOU allowed TONY to become RIDICULOUSLY DRUNK! He DESERVES to SUFFER and I personally HOPE that he..."

Seeing Tony sprawled on Tim's bed, Ziva stopped short.

He looked dead.

Lying flat on his stomach, completely still, Tony's skin was a sickly grey color. The area under his eyes appeared hollow and dark. He actually appeared thinner to Ziva, as if he'd lost about five pounds since she'd last seen him the previous afternoon. It seemed as if he were barely breathing.

Slowly making her way to the bed, she sat on the edge, her lip quivering as she studied her sleeping fiancé. She stroked Tony's hair tenderly; he didn't move. Moving her hand down to his cheek, she noticed how sweaty and clammy his skin was. Now, so close to him, she could hear him rasping sickeningly with each breath. Ziva's heart broke, seeing Tony this way, and she carefully snuggled up next to him, putting an arm around him protectively. This time, he stirred slightly, groaned and unconsciously took her hand.

Closing the door silently behind him to give them privacy, Tim went back to the living room, sat on the couch and rubbed his temples.

On the table, he noticed a card addressed to him reading "McGeek," written in thick black ink. He opened it. Inside was a cheesy "humor" card -- the kind Tim always thought were tacky when he saw them at the store. Looking inside, he read the inscribed message:

_"Probie --_

_I LOVE YOU, MAN... NOT!!!_

_Ha ha ha - Tony"_

Tim frowned. _Same old Tony,_ he thought. _Jerk..._ Turning over the card to replace it on the table, he noticed that Tony had written something on the back.

_"P.S. -- Just kidding, McGee. You rock. Thanks for being my best friend."_

"Happy birthday, Tony," Tim said softly, smiling.

Lying back on the couch, he closed his eyes and finally, luxuriously, drifted off into a sound sleep.


	15. Ghost Of Me

Title: Ghost Of Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; angst  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Jeanne returns -- with stunning news for Tony. How will he react?

**-------------------- Ghost Of Me ---------------------**

"Sarah! We don't kiss dogs! OK, we REALLY don't kiss dogs on the MOUTH! Sarah! SARAH!" Tony chased after Baby Sarah through the park, along with around six dogs who wanted more kisses from their new best friend. She crawled away as fast as her strong little legs would carry her, giggling. The dogs caught Sarah first, piling on her in a friendly way, licking her all over her face, arms, legs and feet. Sarah squealed with delight, rolling and kicking as her personal dog pack barked and slobbered just for her, tails wagging happily.

Finally, Tony reached the barking, squealing pile and, elbowing his way into the dog-fest as politely as he could without making Sarah's friends angry, he plucked her up and out of the bunch. Panting from the run and the effort of 'rescuing' his baby girl, Tony carried Sarah, his DaddyPack of baby gear (diapers, bottles, snacks and Sarah's special blanky) and his namesake, the ever-present Tony The Tiger, over to a nearby park bench, where he plopped down, breathless, and tried to gather himself as the dog pack gave chase.

"BACK! BACK!!! BEAT IT, you slobbering SAVAGES!" Tony barked, ironically enough, at the dogs. "She's a BABY, not a STEAK! Isn't there a CAT somewhere you oughta be running up a tree or something? AM-SCRAY!!!" Sarah giggled as the dogs, looking confused, sadly wandered off, whining. They packed up again, taking a post under a nearby tree, watching Sarah and Tony. Sarah smiled at them, waving as she cooed "Doggy" in their direction. At the sound of her voice, the dogs perked up, their tails wagging hopefully. Tony snarled at them.

"Little FLIRT," Tony said, taking a baby wipe from his DaddyPack to clean Sarah's face. "You HAVE a boyfriend, y'know." Addressing Tony The Tiger, now in Sarah's firm grasp, he scolded, "You're just gonna LET her kiss all those guys? They're only looking for a good time, pal. They'll break her heart. No commitment with them. Why do you think they're called 'dogs,' huh?"

"Good point," a familiar voice remarked. "But dogs are loyal, too. If you treat them right and love them, they'll love you back -- forever." Tony froze at the words. Baby Sarah looked up at him, unsure of what was wrong. Tony couldn't see the face but the voice was unmistakable. She was obviously standing right behind him. He wondered how long she'd been there, watching him with Sarah. Tony felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach. He suddenly couldn't breathe.

"Hello... Jeanne." Tony swallowed hard, still unable to turn and face his ex-girlfriend.

"I've missed you, Tony," Jeanne Benoit said softly. "Can I join you -- and your little friend here?"

-------------------------------------------

"She's beautiful, Tony," Jeanne said, smiling, as Baby Sarah offered her Tony The Tiger. "Why, thank you. I'd definitely like to get to know this guy better." Taking the stuffed toy, Jeanne gingerly set him in her lap so he could 'watch' everything around him in the park. Sarah sighed contentedly.

"That's her boyfriend," Tony said, unable to keep the tension out of his voice as he tried making a joke of the situation. "She likes 'em furry and orange. These kids today ... they get started earlier and earlier, right? Heh..." He shifted on the bench, embracing Sarah tighter against him. She tried pushing away, sensing how intensely uncomfortable Tony was, but he held her fast. She squirmed, kicking fussily.

"What's her name?" Jeanne had Tony The Tiger give Sarah a furry 'kiss,' laughing at Sarah's reaction, which was to grab her favorite toy and hug him fiercely, closing her eyes.

"Sarah," Tony replied, his heart pounding. "She's ... uh ... Ziva's her foster mom. Right now. We're trying to ... um ... SHE's trying to adopt her."

"Ziva?" Jeanne asked, looking slightly confused. "Isn't she your partner at NCIS?"

"Oh, yeah," Tony said, nervously smiling and chuckling. "We're still ... partners."

Jeanne fixed Tony with a flat stare, her wide blue eyes seemingly looking right through Tony at that moment. She could tell he was hiding something from her -- she had always been able to read him so well ... or so it had appeared ... when they were a couple.

"Partners," she said, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth. "In business, Tony? Or pleasure? Or both?"

-------------------------------------------

Tony looked down, blushing. He fumbled with Baby Sarah's t-shirt, 'adjusting' it. Taking a long, deep breath, he considered his answer. He started to speak but stopped short. Jeanne stared at him, waiting for his response.

And it hit him then that he wasn't exactly sure why he still felt so intimidated by Jeanne. He wasn't in love with her. Those feelings had died long ago. He admittedly still felt guilty for the way he'd used her, during their relationship, as a way to get information about her notorious father. She hadn't known of her father's arms dealing business and had been stunned at his deception as well as Tony's.

Tony and Ziva were engaged. He loved her; she was his soulmate, the woman he'd been seeking for so long, and he'd finally found her. Why hadn't he just told Jeanne the truth? THEY were trying to adopt Sarah - HE and Ziva, not just Ziva alone. Angry with himself now for once again not having the nerve to be honest with Jeanne about an important part of his life, Tony steeled himself and looked Jeanne straight in the eye.

"Both," he replied, his voice steady and strong. "Ziva and I are engaged. And WE'RE trying to adopt Sarah. We're crazy about her. We both love her; she's our baby. And I ..." Tony continued, "... I love Ziva, Jeanne. I can't wait to be her husband. And start a family with her. She's my..."

"... soulmate," Jeanne finished for him. "I understand, Tony. When you find that person -- the one you've been looking for all those years... it's amazing, isn't it? You just wonder how you got so lucky. I know I did."

"Look, Jeanne..." Tony started, wondering how he'd make his ex understand that it was truly over between them, "... I'm sorry for the way things ended between us. What I did to you -- it was unforgivable. You should be ... getting those dogs to attack me for what I did. I don't deserve you sitting here, talking to me like nothing happened and everything's OK. Jeanne... you're ... you're a wonderful woman. You are. And I mean that. And ... you're gonna find a guy who sees just how great you are -- I know it. He's out there. Maybe ... maybe it's like with Ziva and me, where he's right there everyday and you just haven't noticed him yet but..."

Jeanne laughed, shaking her head at Tony's speech.

"Tony," she said, a huge smile crossing her face, "did you think I was trying to ... get YOU back?" Tony frowned, embarrassed, and looked for a bottle in his DaddyPack for Sarah. "Oh my GOD, you DID!" Jeanne said, laughing. "Tony... NO! I'm back in D.C. because Alberto is here for a surgical conference! He's presenting a session today and... I love him but I just couldn't take another day of being cooped up in that hotel, so I thought I'd take a walk in the park. And I just happened to see you -- and Sarah. So I figured I should say hello, you know. Let you know I've moved on with my life -- with Alberto -- and that I ... forgive you for everything that happened between us. Tony, it wasn't anyone's fault -- all that. My father ... I'll always love him ... but I know now that he lied to me about ... that other part of his life. And you... you didn't have a choice. I wasted so much time being angry at you... It wasn't worth it. I just made myself miserable. Remember the note I left you? Telling you I wasn't coming back and you needed to choose? The truth was, I knew you weren't going to choose me. And, really, I didn't want you to."

"Then why'd you leave me the note?" Tony fed Sarah a bottle of formula, which she held with both tiny hands as her eyes went from Tony to Jeanne, depending on who spoke. Jeanne once again tenderly took Tony The Tiger in her hands, playing with his ears.

"To hurt you," Jeanne replied, looking down at the fuzzy toy. "And that was wrong, Tony. That was terrible and I'm so sorry. Forgive me?"

"I've never been angry at you, Jeanne."

-------------------------------------------

Jeanne's eyes again met Tony's.

"When you told me that none of it had been real -- I knew you were lying. But I needed to hear that. So I could let it all go. And when I got back to Gabon, I just... I threw myself into my work at the clinic. I decided I was through with looking for anyone, with romance, anything like that. And then Alberto came from his hospital in Seville to join our group. He was SO arrogant -- just so ... so 'I'm the man, you're a woman -- you'll do what I say and I don't care if you're a doctor, too.' That sounds terrible, doesn't it? but it's true -- and I absolutely HATED him. We argued ALL the time. It was like he enjoyed trying to get under my skin and make me furious. But he's such a brilliant surgeon and he cares so much for his patients. I could tell, once I got to know him, that all that arrogance was a front and he was trying to hide what a really sweet, sensitive man he is -- and that he was attracted to me as much as I was to him. So I decided to take a lesson from you and kind of make him get close to me -- you know, do these little romantic things to get his attention? Totally worked."

Tony smiled. "The candlelit dinner out of the car trunk? You used that one?"

"You RIPPED that off from 'Strangers In The Night,' Tony! And ... I didn't have a car trunk in the jungle but I improvised. One night after Alberto performed a long surgery on a local boy, I had dinner set up for him at his hut. Honestly, I wasn't sure how he'd react; we were still sort of going at each other then. But ... let's just say he appreciated my effort. And my company. After that, we became good friends and eventually... lovers. And now, here we are. It's been almost two years. Kind of hard to believe. So, Tony -- I'm HAPPY for you. And Ziva. She's your soulmate -- like Alberto? Is mine. We've both been incredibly lucky to find them."

"Yeah," Tony agreed, grinning, as he packed up Baby Sarah's bottle. Jeanne reached her arms to Tony, who handed her Sarah. Jeanne turned the baby over her shoulder, burping her. "Alberto sounds like a great guy, Jeanne. You two gonna take the plunge?" His green eyes sparkled as he twiddled the fingers on his left hand at her. Jeanne smiled back at him.

"We already have. We just celebrated our anniversary three months ago -- Greece... two weeks in the islands there. Just the two of us in this little cottage... no medical emergencies, no long surgeries," she said, smiling dreamily at the memory. "I'm actually on my way to pick up my ring at the jewelers' now. It's being re-sized. My fingers are swelling a little already and Alberto said to just get my wedding ring taken care of before the baby comes. He likes seeing it on my finger, so I guess I'll be getting it RE-re-sized in another six months when she -- or he -- is born."

"The baby!" Tony's face brightened. "Jeanne... that's... that's wonderful. Heh... Sounds like you had a productive couple weeks there in Greece. I mean... uh... CONGRATULATIONS!" Tony quickly fumbled with some items in the DaddyPack before turning back to Jeanne. He watched her finish burping Sarah and offered her a baby wipe. Jeanne wiped Sarah's face and gave her a little kiss on the forehead. Sarah giggled. "You're gonna be a fantastic mother. It's obvious. Sarah's a great judge."

"Thanks," Jeanne laughed, giving Sarah a playful nuzzle before handing her back to Tony. "It's exciting. And a little scary. I want ... to be sure Alberto and I don't make the kind of mistakes with our child that ... that my parents made with me. I don't want our daughter -- or son -- to grow up having two parents who hate each other, to see that all the time. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure Alberto and I keep our marriage -- and our family -- strong. That's all that's important to me now. And I wish you and Ziva the same happiness Alberto and I have, Tony. Love her and keep her happy -- be true to her, that's all you have to do. Alberto and I still disagree sometimes -- GOD, he's so opinionated -- but it's why I love him, that strong personality of his. I don't know Ziva but if she's gotten a commitment out of YOU, Tony DiNOZZO, she must be quite a woman. Also, if she's able to keep THIS one," she tweaked Sarah's nose, eliciting a laugh from the baby, "in line."

"She's something, alright," Tony said, his lips playing at a smile as he thought of Ziva. "I think we're gonna be great together. I'm kinda looking forward to being Mr. Ziva David."

Jeanne laughed out loud.

"You'll never change," she said, smiling brightly, as she readied to leave. Standing, she gave Tony (and Baby Sarah) a chaste hug. "Give Ziva my best, will you? And, Tony -- it was great to see you again. Congratulations to you... on your engagement and on being Sarah's daddy."

"I'm not sure about that last part yet," Tony said as Sarah snuggled against his chest, yawning.

"I am. She's yours," Jeanne replied, as she turned, walking away. Tony watched her go, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. In the distance, he saw a tall, slim, handsome man -- olive-skinned with short-cropped black hair, impeccably dressed in an expensive suit -- greet Jeanne at the edge of the park. The man took her in his arms, handing her a single red rose, and kissed her deeply, caressing her belly as he murmured in her ear. Taking off his suit jacket and casually draping it around his shoulder, he put an arm around Jeanne's shoulder and led her onto the sidewalk, where a taxi awaited them. He took care in helping her into the taxi though she playfully resisted, saying something to her in Spanish about 'el bebé, mi querida,' and the cab slowly drove off.

Baby Sarah's snoring broke Tony's reverie and he quietly zipped up the DaddyPack, putting Tony The Tiger under his free arm. Sighing, he secured the DaddyPack, TonyTiger and Baby Sarah in his arms and made his way from the bench.

"Yeah, yeah... I know," Tony snarled, seemingly to no one in particular, as he hiked through the park towards his car, "You're ALL starving now. Well, I'm hungry, too. Shoulda brought the baby snacks -- for SARAH, for SARAH! OK boys, let's all go see what Uncle McFLEA's got on today's menu. A big, juicy steak really DOES sound good, huh?" Six dogs trailed him in a line, tongues wagging.


	16. Suddenly I See Pt 1

Title: Suddenly I See (Pt. 1)  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Jeanne and Alberto want to celebrate Tony and Ziva's engagement by taking TIVA to dinner. And Gibbs takes care of Baby Sarah. Will the evening be a complete disaster?

**-------------------- Suddenly I See (Pt. 1) ---------------------**

"What'll it be tonight, Sweet Cheeks?" Tony asked, staring at Ziva from his desk directly across from hers in the main NCIS staff room. "Giant pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese pizza with a side order of two Steve McQueen movies -- I'm thinking 'The Thomas Crown Affair' and 'The Getaway'... two of his best flicks with hot chicks there -- and, for dessert, a big slice of deep dish DiNozzo?" Raising one eyebrow seductively in Ziva's direction, Tony made a growling face punctuated with a "rowr" sound. Ziva stared back at him quizzically.

"You know I do not eat your favorite pizza, Tony. It is not kosher. And we have now watched those same two films at least three times this month." Ziva turned back to her work. Tony looked crestfallen.

"Fine. I'll get you that veggie AFFRONT to pizza that you like so much, then!" He thought a moment, then continued, "Can't believe you could get tired of McQueen. That's un-American."

"I am Israeli."

"Well, it's SHAMEFUL no matter WHAT, Zee-vah! The man is a cinematic icon. Timeless. Unparalleled in his..."

"... ability to actually FINISH a job, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said, striding up behind Tony, who responded by laughing nervously and much too loudly.

"Ha ha HAH! You SAID it, Boss! Amazing list of movies he cranked out in one decade. Guy never STOPPED working all through the '60s!"

"You ever START working all through TODAY, Tony?" Gibbs replied in his calm way. Ziva giggled, shuffling some papers as she tried hiding her laughter from Tony. He snarled at her.

"Those DOJ lists you gave me ... this, um... this morning... Boss? I'm... uh... I'm on it," Tony said, realizing he hadn't gotten much accomplished at all. He quickly sat down at his desk, taking a chance to shoot Ziva another cold look. She smiled, her dark eyes taunting him. Just then, her phone rang and she answered.

"Officer David," Ziva said. Tony addressed Gibbs, who was focused on his computer, trying to get something working. Gibbs frowned at the screen as Tony studied him.

"Say, Boss, Ziva and I were wondering... You got plans this evening? Y'know, a hot date or anything? Heh." Gibbs' ice blue eyes darted towards Tony, who had been smiling but quickly stopped.

"Nope," Gibbs said quietly.

"Basement? Boat? Bourbon?" Tony asked.

"Yep," Gibbs replied, turning back to his troublesome monitor.

"Well, ah... I was thinking maybe Ziva and I could spend a little time alone tonight -- just a few hours -- and Abby's at a bowling clinic with the nuns and Probie's off at that Geek-A-Thon..."

"It's a gaming convention, DiNozzo," Gibbs said.

"Hah! Yeah! Anyway, they usually babysit Sarah for us if we take a night to ourselves and..."

"Have her at my house around eight. Bring that tiger. I know she's crazy about him."

"You mean it? Great, Boss! I really owe you one! Thanks!"

"You owe me more than one, Tony."

"Oh, absolutely, Boss. You want it, you got it -- just say the word. ANY word! Heh..."

"How 'bout the word 'work'?"

"Work! Ha HAH! WORKS for me! Heh..." Gibbs gave Tony a look that said he'd had it with all the games and Tony, frowning, immediately started studying the DOJ documents he was supposed to be scouring for evidence. Across the aisle, Ziva, who'd finished her phone conversation, hung up. Tapping her pen against her forehead, she watched Tony acting as if he were hard at work. Smiling slyly, she stood and coyly made her way over to his desk, taking a perch on its edge. Looking up at her, he stared blankly.

"What?" Tony said. "WHAT?!!! Spill it, David!" Whenever Ziva did this, he knew she was up to something sneaky, something guaranteed to make him go ballistic.

"We have been invited out to dinner tonight," Ziva said slowly, "to celebrate our engagement. Some friends would like to treat us. They are also celebrating the first anniversary of their marriage as well as the recent news of her pregnancy."

"But we don't know any newlyweds expecting a ..." Tony stopped short once the obvious hit him. "Ohhhhh... NO... Ziva... You DIDN'T say yes."

"I did. It was a lovely, gracious and kind offer, Tony."

"A lovely, gracious and kind offer from my EX." Tony was exasperated now. It wasn't that he didn't want to see Jeanne again; it was that he didn't want to see Jeanne again -- with Ziva there to dish about him with Jeanne.

"Yes, there is that ... minor fact. But are we not all adults here? You told me after your meeting with Jeanne in the park on Saturday that the two of you have no lingering romantic feelings; you parted as friends only. She is now happily married, you said, and obviously is expecting. In fact, she was quite excited about having the two of us meet her husband, Alberto. Jeanne sounds completely in love with this man."

"Well, I hope so, since they're married and she's having his kid. But how do YOU know that?"

"I am a woman. I heard it in her voice. She is crazy about him."

Tony stood to face Ziva, leaning towards her. He smiled suggestively.

"And what about you, Officer David? Do I ... make you crazy?"

"Constantly, my Little Furry Bear." Ziva purred, stroking his chin. "Especially when you do not put down the toilet seat."

-------------------------------------------

"DaddyPack's got it ALL, Boss -- one-stop shopping for the modern pop. Heh. Bottles, snacks, wipes, more snacks, Blanky-Boo, extra snacks, diapers, special snacks just in case, paci, emergency snacks, jammies, snacks for the road if you have to go somewhere..."

"Those snacks for Sarah, DiNozzo? 'Cause I see a coupla crumbs around your mouth there."

"Oh... heh... Got a little peckish, Boss. That's all." Tony wiped his mouth quickly. Baby Sarah giggled in Gibbs' arms. "Now... Tony The Tiger. SUPER important, Boss. She won't sleep without him. Or really go anywhere without him. He's her, uh... well..." Tony blushed, embarrassed.

"Boyfriend," Gibbs said nonchalantly, reaching for the stuffed toy. "Long as I don't catch these two kissin' after curfew, everything's gonna be juuuuuust fine." Sarah took Tony Tiger from Gibbs, giving her fuzzy friend a big hug.

"Ohhh-kay," Tony smiled. "Looks like you've got it all under control, Boss, so I guess I better... ah... get going. To dinner. With my fianceé. And my ex. And HER husband." Tony suddenly laughed out loud, nervously. "Just your typical Friday night out with the woman you're sleeping with and the woman you USED to sleep with! NOTHING weird about THAT at ALL!" Gibbs and Sarah stared at him.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said as Tony turned to leave.

"Yeah, Boss?" Gibbs motioned for Tony to return to the front door. Tony did and Gibbs motioned for him to turn around, which he also did. Next came a Gibbs-slap to the back of Tony's head. Tony did a double-take as Baby Sarah laughed with glee.

"Thanks," Tony said, rubbing the back of his head as he walked away. "I needed that, Boss."

-------------------------------------------

Arriving at The Jefferson, one of Washington D.C.'s luxury hotels, for dinner Tony and Ziva found themselves politely ushered into its fine-dining restaurant, Plume, where Jeanne and Alberto awaited them at a cozy back table. Jeanne was intently listening to something Alberto was whispering in her ear, her fingers entwined with his as she whispered an answer back to him. They were completely taken with each other, unaware that their guests had joined them until the waiter cleared his throat.

"Oh! Tony! Ziva!" Jeanne blushed as she and Alberto quickly broke a tender kiss. "You're... here! Honey," she stammered, addressing Alberto, "this is Tony DiNozzo and his fianceé, Ziva David. Tony... Ziva... this is my husband, Doctor Alberto Contador."

A tall, slim Spaniard rose to greet Tony and Ziva. His dark olive skin and close-cropped black hair made his wide brown eyes seem even larger and more friendly. When he smiled, his teeth appeared almost perfectly white. Taking Ziva's hand, he noted her Star of David and greeted her European-style with brief kisses on both cheeks, offering her a kindly "Shalom," which she politely returned. Jeanne reached out to her and the two embraced warmly.

Alberto then extended his hand to Tony, who stood gaping at him. Jeanne and Ziva both watched this scene with a quiet uncertainty. Ziva narrowed her eyes slightly, studying Tony's reaction -- or lack thereof.

"Antonio... ehh... Tony," Alberto said in his thick Spanish accent, trying to find the proper words in English. "It is my ... ehhh... fine pleasure to ... ehhh... become your friend, yes?" Tony shook his hand but continued staring, dumbstruck. Alberto looked back to Jeanne and Ziva, unsure of what to do. Ziva smiled tensely and took Tony's arm, forcibly pushing him down into his seat.

"Shall we sit down?" she said through her tight smile, elbowing Tony back to reality. Tony shook his head as if he'd been slapped. He stared again at Alberto, this time squinting at him as if to really take in his face.

"Heyyyy... I know you," he said, pointing at Alberto. Ziva grabbed Tony's hand, trying to stop him from pointing, but it sprung back into pointing position. "You're that GUY! That... that... GUY! I just saw you on TV and AAAAAUUUGGGGHHH!!!" The second time Ziva grabbed Tony's pointing hand, she bent his index finger back at an impossible angle. And this time he didn't re-point in Alberto's direction. Jeanne and Alberto looked concerned. Ziva smiled politely at them as Tony writhed, seemingly in agony.

"I believe Tony has you confused with the cyclist of the same name, Dr. Contador," Ziva said, cutting her eyes at Tony, who whimpered as he flexed his hand. Alberto crossed his arms over his chest, frowning.

"Yes," he said stiffly. "All the time, this happens to me! Eight years I spend... ehhh... to become a doctor in Spain and only people ask if I am HIM since ... ehh... the Tour!" Alberto's handsome features clouded suddenly in real anger. Jeanne looked adoringly at her husband, turning to stroke his cheek.

"Everywhere we go, people ask him for his autograph! He gets so upset," Jeanne laughed. "Alberto says HE had the name first," she joked, flashing him a loving smile, "and that being a surgeon is sexier than being a cyclist." Alberto looked shocked at Jeanne's frankness.

"Mi querida!" he said, switching to Spanish, "Por favor..."

"Oh, darling, we're among friends," Jeanne said. "And besides, honey, you really DO look like him." Alberto sniffed haughtily. "Well, it's true! Isn't it, Ziva?"

Ziva had to laugh. "I am sorry, Doctor, but you do favor the... other Alberto. I say that as a compliment."

"But I bet you're not stocking up on any yellow t-shirts, huh?" Tony chimed in, a huge, goofy smile greeting the rest of the table. "Heh... Ohhhh yeah... I just... really need a drink. Now."

Jeanne gave Tony a warm, knowing smile. "No, he's not. And, anyway, if I bought him one he'd probably just put it with the tag I gave him."

"Tag?" Ziva asked. "I do not understand." Tony and Jeanne shared a sly look. Finally, both laughed, unable to hold back. Alberto rolled his eyes, shaking his head, and shrugged his shoulders as he met Ziva's confused expression with his own 'You shouldn't have asked' look.

"Tell her, Tony," Jeanne said. "It's just... this stupid thing Tony and I used to do."

"YOU did it to me," Tony corrected. "Jeanne would buy these ... tags -- like, man-bracelets -- for me that she'd get engraved with stuff like 'Mental Ward' or whatever -- you know, wherever she thought I should 'be' in the hospital? And I was 'tagged.' Ahhh, it was just ... fun." Tony smiled at the memory for what it was -- silly.

"And I tried tagging Alberto here," Jeanne said, "but he's not a fan of the..."

"... man-bracelets?" Ziva finished, giving Tony a wry smile. Tony fidgeted with his tie, straightening it. He growled at Ziva. She growled back.

Jeanne laughed. "Right. You didn't like yours, did you, honey?" Alberto sat up stiffly in his chair, looking Jeanne in the eye as if he were hurt -- but in a playful, teasing way.

"My tag... I liked it, querida! The ... ehhh... the tag, it say ... 'El Doctor de Amor,'" Alberto said proudly, closing his eyes with a satisfied smile. Ziva laughed out loud. Tony stared at him.

"Doctor of Love," Jeanne translated.

"You see?" Alberto asked Tony and Ziva, "My Jeanne... she is ... ehh... ehh... not the fan of the OTHER Alberto! The tag, it says ... ehh... DOCTOR, not bicycle, yes?" Jeanne leaned over and gave her Alberto a kiss. Tony leaned over, winked, and whispered huskily into Ziva's ear.

"You almost broke my finger, Sweet Cheeks."

Ziva turned to Tony, her lips brushing his ear seductively as she answered.

"You are lucky to still HAVE a finger, my Little Hairy Bear."

-------------------------------------------

"And she told me SHE thought the positioning on page 122 was HER favorite," Tony said, laughing.

"Tony, you STILL get those magazines?" Jeanne asked, giving him a mildly disappointed look.

"Hey! A guy can look, can't he? AL -- buddy! Back me up here!" Tony playfully punched Alberto on the shoulder across the table.

"Ehh... I no ... ehhh... I never read the ... ehhh... man magazine?" Alberto said, putting his long arm around Jeanne's shoulders. "When the woman is so lovely, the man ... ehh... does not need ... ehh... the photo." He kissed Jeanne, tenderly rubbing her belly.

"That's right. And Ziva is lovely. You should make Tony throw OUT those things," Jeanne suggested playfully. Ziva considered this, pretending to glare at Tony, who looked taken aback.

"Oh, it is alright. I do not mind that Tony enjoys his playpens."

"PlayMATES, darling," Tony corrected. "PlayPENS are what Sarah and her little friends use."

"Yes," Ziva agreed. "They, too, are babies who also still have much growing up to do." Tony scowled teasingly at Ziva. She scowled back, less teasingly. "Jeanne," Ziva said brightly, changing the subject (to Tony's relief), "I would like to hear how you and Alberto met -- if you do not mind telling the story."

Jeanne and Alberto smiled slyly at one another.

"It's a GREAT story -- depending on who you believe," Jeanne said, giving Alberto a seductive stare.

"But she ... ehh ... does not tell ... ehh... the complete truth of it," Alberto said, returning Jeanne's gaze, his brown eyes smoky with desire.

-------------------------------------------

_**Coming next:** Suddenly I See (Pt. 2)_


	17. Suddenly I See Pt 2

Title: Suddenly I See (Pt. 2)  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Jeanne and Alberto want to celebrate Tony and Ziva's engagement by taking TIVA to dinner. And Gibbs takes care of Baby Sarah. Will the evening be a complete disaster?

**-------------------- Suddenly I See (Pt. 2) ---------------------**

"And THAT, Sarah, is MY baby girl Kelly -- and her mother, Shannon," Gibbs said softly to Baby Sarah, as he held her in his strong arms, flipping through one of his old photo albums. Baby Sarah clapped her hands excitedly, smiled broadly and squealed with glee. "Yeah, I think you'd have gotten along with them JUST fine. Kelly always was asking me when she was gonna get a little sister." Gibbs chuckled. "Shannon, too." Staring at the photo of his lost daughter and wife, he sighed. Missing his family was something that never left him.

Baby Sarah turned towards Gibbs and planted a huge kiss on his cheek, snuggling against him. "Ba-Ba," she cooed gently, her little hand grasping at his t-shirt. Gibbs smiled down at her.

"You tryin' to send me a message there, Little Bit?" he said with a wink. "Yeah, I know... Time for Boss-Boss to get THIS sweet girl some supper. Some for me, too, huh?" Baby Sarah nodded at him in agreement. She grabbed Tony The Tiger from the couch and thrust him at Gibbs, who took the toy and studied him seriously.

"Well, Sarah, tigers like to go huntin' in the jungle so I'm not sure what Tony here might like outta my kitchen, but we'll go see." Closing the photo album tenderly, Gibbs gave Kelly and Shannon one last look. Baby Sarah waved goodbye to them. They smiled back at Gibbs, Sarah and TonyTiger as Gibbs whispered "'Night, girls."

Handing TonyTiger back to Sarah, Gibbs rose from the couch, heading towards his kitchen with the pair in his arms.

"You think tigers like chili?" Gibbs asked Baby Sarah. She shook her head 'no' and Gibbs continued, "Didn't think so. Better see if I got any steaks." Baby Sarah tweaked his nose.

-------------------------------------------

"I let Jeanne tell HER ... ehhh... story first," Alberto said to Tony and Ziva, grinning, as a waiter brought a second bottle of wine to the table. He leaned back in his chair, giving Jeanne a knowing look. "Always I enjoy ... ehhh... hearing how she THINK we fall in love." Alberto lifted his glass, toasting his wife, as he took a sip. Tony and Ziva smiled at each other in anticipation.

Jeanne returned Alberto's gaze with a wink as she began.

"Well," she said, a smile playing at her lips, "I had already been working at the village health clinic in Gabon for over a year when Alberto joined us. Our director had been looking for a general surgeon and he'd told us to expect him within the week. Because I'd been at the clinic longer than any of the other doctors, the director asked me to pick Dr. Contador up from the local airstrip -- I was pretty familiar with the countryside by then. The clinic has a Jeep that we use as transportation -- sometimes as a makeshift ambulance, even. So I drove out to meet the plane. When I got there and introduced myself, Alberto didn't believe I was who I said I was!"

Alberto addressed Tony and Ziva.

"They tell me ... ehhh... Doctor JEAN Benoit will ... ehh... meet me. That is... ehh ... what my papers say: J-E-A-N Benoit! No J-E-A-N-N-E!" He crossed his arms, grinning, satisfied that he'd made his argument.

"Someone had misspelled my name on his itinerary," Jeanne continued, "and he absolutely REFUSED to believe I was the doctor. He kept asking me 'Where is Doctor Benoit? Why did he send his NURSE?' Oh, I was SO angry! He said he'd wait at the airport until he heard from DOCTOR Benoit, so I told him 'FINE! Stay here ALL night, then! Because DOCTOR JEANNE BENOIT is going BACK to the CLINIC!" And I drove off in the Jeep and left him there..."

"... all alone in the ... ehh ... jungle," Alberto finished, pouting. "No plane... nothing... only the ... ehhh... wild animals. Quite ... ehh... dangerous, yes?" He flashed a dazzling smile at Ziva. She smirked knowingly in response.

"I thought this was MY side of the story," Jeanne teased. "Anyway, I got back to the clinic late that evening -- I'd left to meet him in the late afternoon and the airstrip is a bit of a drive -- and everyone had gone home. It was already so dark and I couldn't stop thinking about Alberto being alone out at the airstrip. It's pretty remote. If anything happened to him, I'd only have myself to blame. So I got back in the Jeep and drove to pick him up. But when I got there, he was gone. I called for him and drove around the area, trying to find him. I was really panicking because I was scared that something HAD happened to him. I felt terrible and I was afraid that he'd wandered off and was hurt somewhere -- because of me. I hated the thought of him possibly out there, injured and alone. I wasn't sure what to do so I just shut off the engine and parked there for the night. I thought I'd wait for a while and see if he showed up. I guess that sounds silly but I wasn't thinking all that clearly right then. I just know that I couldn't get him off my mind."

Taking a sip of wine, she continued.

"It turns out I fell asleep out there in the Jeep, waiting for him. When I woke up the next morning, I realized things were really wrong and I decided to head back to the clinic and tell the director what had happened. And when I walked into the director's office to confess that I'd gotten mad and left Alberto alone at the airstrip the evening before, he was sitting RIGHT THERE having coffee with the director!"

"Huh?" Tony asked, clearly confused. Alberto looked at Jeanne as if to see if it was OK if he revealed the big secret. She sat back in her chair, raising an eyebrow in his direction.

"I ... ehhh... how do you say? Hitch a ride ... ehhh... with some guys in a ... ehhh... truck -- after she leave me. They were ... ehhh... taking fruit into the town."

"He'd been at the clinic ALL NIGHT!" Jeanne said, with a laugh. "He got there right AFTER I had gone back to get him. We'd just missed each other. I ended up being the one who spent the night alone in the jungle!"

Alberto gave his wife a mock-serious stare.

"And I tell her ... ehh... that was NO place ... ehhh... for a woman!" Alberto laughed. "Oh, she get _muy furioso!_ She ... ehh ... she say she HATE me -- the director, he ... ehh ... he say he sorry, she ... ehh... she not serious. But I know... ehh... she not hate me. That she likes me, yes, as a man? The truth, I see in her eyes. She ... ehhh... she tease me ... and I think she is so... ehh... so lovely -- the most beautiful woman I ever know. So I ... ehh.. I play along." He looked adoringly at Jeanne.

"You can see how we got off on the wrong foot," Jeanne said, taking Alberto's hand. "After that, we started arguing about ... well, you name it, and we fought over it. And of course I didn't really hate him. I thought he was so handsome, so attractive -- but it was like he never noticed me, except to argue with me. That's what I thought, anyway. HE let me believe that. Finally, I just decided I was tired of fighting with him all the time and it hurt me, thinking there would never be anything between us. So I asked the director for a transfer to a clinic in another village because I thought that would make Alberto happy -- my going away. But..."

"... it made me ... ehh... so sad. The saddest I ... ehh... ever have been," Alberto said. "I get scared. I know ... ehh... I cannot let my Jeanne go."

-------------------------------------------

After dinner, Gibbs, Baby Sarah and TonyTiger lay on the couch, watching a baseball game on TV.

"See, Sarah, what happens in this situation is, there's two guys on base and nobody out. Now the pitcher's gonna come up to bat so the manager oughta make him bunt those two over on the sacrifice. Then there's one out but the guys are in scoring position and they've got two more outs to play with. Makes it harder to get 'em out when they're on second and third. But the tough thing is, pitcher's gotta get the bunt down nice and tight -- perfectly -- or else they'll get that guy goin' into second and probably get the pitcher at first. Pitchers don't usually run fast." Baby Sarah replied with a serious "Goo," concentrating on the screen. Tony The Tiger, lying atop Gibbs' head, also watched the scene intensely.

"Now if that manager's SMART, he's gonna have 'em going on a hit-and-run soon as the pitcher lays that bunt down and..." the pitcher laid down the bunt and the baserunners were off. Just as Gibbs had said, the play turned out -- the runners advanced to second and third and the pitcher was out at first. Baby Sarah squeaked with joy.

"Well, now, hang on there, Sarah," Gibbs cautioned. "Still gotta bring 'em home to score." Baby Sarah snuggled into Gibbs' chest, her eyes studiously fixed again on the game. "Gah," she murmured.

-------------------------------------------

"You see," Alberto continued, picking up the story, "Jeanne... ehh... she think I fall in love ... ehh... with her after I ... ehh... get upset that we fight so much." He caressed her thumb with his. "But no -- I love her BECAUSE she ... ehh... does not let me ...ehhh... how do you say? ... put her to the ground?"

"I believe you mean PUSH her _around_," Ziva corrected, "... the ground." Tony and Jeanne looked at one another. Tony started to speak but instead poured Ziva another glass of wine.

"Drink this, Sweet Cheeks," he said. "You need it."

"No, I don't, Tony," Ziva replied, giving Tony a strange look.

"OK, well, I need it," Tony said, taking a huge swig from Ziva's full glass. Lifting it in Alberto's direction, he toasted him. "Carry on, good man!" Ziva and Jeanne looked at each other, looked at Tony, looked back at each other and shook their heads at Tony's irreverence. He shrugged and took another gulp of wine.

Toasting Tony in return, Alberto poured himself another glass of the dark red wine.

"Jeanne, you see... she tell the clinic director ... ehh... she should go away -- from me -- that I ... ehhh... become happy when she leaves. She say ... ehh... I think she is not a good doctor, that I not like her. The director, he agree to ... ehh... let her go. He ask me to ... drive her to the same ... ehh... airstrip where she first meet me when I ...ehhh... come to Gabon. We don't talk all the ... ehh... the way to the place -- and ... ehh... so many things I want to tell her. My heart," he placed a hand over his chest, "it hurt ... it is -- ehhh... how you say? -- to break?"

"When we arrive," Alberto continued, "the plane, it is ... ehhh... taking off, yes? Jeanne, she runs to ... ehh ... catch it and I know that if she goes, I never see her again. So I ... ehh... go after her and I ... ehh... hold her ... into my arms ... before she ... ehh... get on the plane. I tell her she must stay... ehh ... that I need her to work with me because the villagers, they ... ehh... they trust her and maybe they not like _me_ so much. She say... ehh... she say..."

"I said that wasn't true," Jeanne interjected, "at all. And it wasn't. Everyone knew how much he cared about them -- and about his work at the clinic. I didn't want to leave him."

"I tell her that ... ehh ... I am sorry we disagree so much and that I try much harder to ... ehh... to listen to her because I know she is ... ehhh... a brilliant doctor -- and I ... ehh... I DO _like_ her ... SO much." Alberto laughed. "I almost tell her ... ehh... that I _love_ her! Right in the jungle! But I am ... ehhh... too afraid. She say she will come back with me and ... ehhh... oh, I am happy! Almost, I _kiss_ her! I come so close! Sometimes we still... ehh... not agree but one night she brings me dinner after I have ... ehh... the difficult surgery and I tell her I am glad she did not go."

"He said he would've had to track me down all over the jungle," Jeanne laughed.

"And I would do it, too!" Alberto said, crossing his arms and lifting his chin. "She becomes my best friend that night and... ehh ... after a time... I make her crazy for me. I save my kiss for then, when we become ... ehh ... more than friends." He winked at Jeanne.

"I made him crazy about ME -- and since then, we've never been apart," she replied, kissing Alberto's hand. "Anyway, that's how we met. I say I fell for him that night I left him alone at the airstrip -- because I couldn't stop thinking about him. But he says I fell for him when he kept me from getting on the plane. And I say HE fell for me when I asked for the transfer. But he says he was already in love with me."

"I love her from the moment she drive off so ... ehh... angry in her Jeep the first time I meet her," Alberto laughed. "I never meet a woman who ... ehh... is so strong. I like it."

Tony again lifted his wine glass in tribute to Alberto.

"To strong women!" he said cheerfully. "The ones who love us so much they almost break our index fingers..."

"... and leave us in her Jeep!" Alberto finished, clinking his glass with Tony's.

Across the table, Jeanne and Ziva rolled their eyes at this display of male bonding.

"I think I'm going to go freshen up a bit," Jeanne said, getting up. Tony and Alberto rose politely. "Ziva, would you like to join me?"

"Absolutely," Ziva replied, shooting Tony a wry smile. "Gentlemen, if you will excuse us..."

As they exited the dining room, Tony and Alberto watched them. Suddenly, Tony's face went pale. His entire body went numb and he found himself short of breath. Gasping for air, he loosened his tie and quickly sat down in his chair at the table. Alberto studied him, concerned.

"Tony... you are not ... ehh ... feeling well? What is wrong?"

"Ziva... Jeanne..." Tony gasped, pointing towards the ladies' lounge. "In there... together... TALKING. About... ME!"

"Oh, I see," Alberto mused. Sighing, he offered Tony the wine bottle. Tony took it, turning it straight up as he finished it off. "Nothing I can ... ehh ... offer much for that, _mi amigo_," Alberto said, smiling sympathetically at Tony. Tony's head hit the table with a loud "PLONK!"

-------------------------------------------

Baby Sarah snoozed in the small handmade wooden crib, Tony The Tiger right against her side. Gibbs sat in an old rocking chair, watching her sleep. His father had made the rocker and crib set and sent it to he and Shannon just before Kelly was born. _Good hardwood_, Gibbs thought.

"Ba-Ba," Sarah cooed in her sleep, hugging TonyTiger to her. She smiled and kicked happily under her baby blanket.

Gibbs' ice blue eyes twinkled, remembering nights like this so long ago when another baby girl's dreams elicited little smiles and giggles as the moonlight streamed in through the windows. Rising from the rocking chair, he went to a small dresser by the wall, opened a drawer and took out a small stuffed bunny.

"How you doin', Grabbit?" Gibbs whispered to the soft toy, stroking one of its long ears. For a minute, he surrendered to the memory of his own infant daughter, asleep in that same crib clutching her Grabbit tight against her side, cooing softly as her mother gently pulled her blanket back over her from where she'd kicked it off.

Then, putting the toy back in the drawer, Gibbs returned to the rocker and once again turned his full attention to Sarah. Now she was awake, smiling up at him, her eyes wide and bright.

-------------------------------------------

When Tony woke up, the first thing he saw was an expensive ceiling lamp, seemingly spinning. The second was Ziva, propped on one elbow, staring down at him, her black hair cascading over her bare shoulder. She, too, seemed to be reeling with the room. Tony opened his green eyes wide, trying to focus, but things only spun faster then.

"Did you sleep well, my Little Furry Mutt?" Ziva purred, stroking the hair on Tony's chest.

Tony had a take a minute to process what she'd said.

"Wha...? Huh?" He could barely keep his eyes open. His head was pounding. "Uhhhhh... Where...?"

"We are staying tonight here at the hotel. Another gift from Jeanne and Alberto."

"Sarah?" Tony croaked.

"She is spending the night with Gibbs," Ziva said quietly. "He was more than happy to keep her."

"Mmmmhhh..." Tony groaned. He peeked under the sheet, raising his eyebrows at seeing himself naked. He cut his eyes suspiciously at Ziva, who kissed him. Stretching her arms above her head, she sighed with satisfaction. Tony took another look under the sheet and glanced again at Ziva, his eyes wide. Playing with his chest hair, she fixed her dark eyes on him.

"You are not feeling yourself," Ziva said. It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact. Slapping her hand to Tony's forehead rather roughly, Ziva frowned at how clammy his skin felt. Tony did a double-take at the suddenness of it, whimpering slightly. She turned over towards her side of the bed, reaching for something on the floor. Tony stared at her, drunkenly admiring her sleek naked back. She looked back at him over her shoulder, smiling coyly. "You would like something to help you feel better, my love?"

"Yeahhhh..." Tony half-whispered, his voice thick from too much wine. "I need... little ... TLC, Sweet Cheeks." He reached unsteadily for Ziva's shoulder, offering her a drunken wink. "Make it ALLLLLL better..."

"Perhaps this will soon have you feeling back up to stuff," Ziva replied, turning back towards Tony. In her hand was a bottle of half-finished red wine. She waved it tantalizingly at Tony, who lay back on his pillows and groaned. "You have enjoyed your share of it all evening," she teased.

"Get that OUTTA here!" Tony moaned, shielding his eyes with his arm. "And it's 'feeling back up to SNUFF!' Slippin', Sugar Lumps," he whined, his head aching. "You're slippin' again." Tony growled in drunken pain, a little pathetic whimper escaping his throat.

Ziva replaced the wine bottle on the floor next to the bed and snuggled against Tony, resting her head on his chest.

"I am proud of you, Tony, for coming to dinner tonight with Jeanne and Alberto. Many men would not be able to spend an evening with his fianceé, his ex-girlfriend and her new husband. You handled it so well. I like this... maturity I have seen in you the past few months. It is sexy and it only makes me love you more than I already do," Ziva kissed Tony's chest, nuzzling his skin. "And this evening could not have been easy for you because I know that you did love Jeanne."

"Yeah, in a way," Tony said softly, carefully considering his words, "but I never loved her the way I love you, Ziva." They lay silent together for a minute before Tony said quietly, "You loved Rivkin, too -- so you get it, right?"

"Yes," Ziva agreed. "And as you say, I did not love him as I love you. There were feelings but they were ... not nearly as strong. I would never have thought of spending my life with him... "

"... marrying her," Tony offered.

"... having kids with them," they both said, almost at the same time. Tony, still woozy from too much alcohol, managed to kiss Ziva's forehead.

"You and Jeanne... talk about me?" he asked nervously.

"She told me only that she hoped our marriage would be as happy and successful as hers to Alberto has been. And she again offered her apologies for all that had happened in the past regarding her father and her having accused you of his murder. She truly does regret that, I believe."

Tony sighed.

"What a mess all that was. I understand Jenny's reasons... but a lot of people really suffered, huh?"

"Unfortunately," Ziva agreed. "Jeanne apologized to me, also, you know."

"You?" Tony asked. "Why?"

"She said that during the time you two were together, she suspected you and your partner -- she did not know who I was then -- that the two of us had ... feelings ... for each other and that she was jealous. She felt that you were never completely ... 'with' her -- that your heart was somewhere else, with someone else." Ziva thought a minute and continued, "She confessed to me that you often called for me while sleeping. Once, you said my name in your sleep after you and Jeanne had... been together -- when she was trying to awaken you with kisses. It was then, she said, that she knew you did not truly love her. She had already accepted the Gabon job and planned to end it with you after her father left Washington but she did not get that chance."

"Huh..." Tony said, somewhat surprised at Jeanne's revelations. "She didn't act like she was gonna dump me. She was all for moving in with me."

"She told me she realized that you were not the right man for her, that she came to see moving in with you would be a mistake -- she was going to tell you those plans were off. And that, strangely enough, she did not really love you; she simply cared for you. The true feelings of love? They were not there." Ziva pondered this for a moment. "Tony, that is how I felt when I was with Michael. I cared for him. But I did not _love_ him. Those feelings did not exist. And I could not force them into being."

Tony took Ziva's hand in his, breathing in the scent of her hair.

"Whenever I was with Jeanne," he whispered, "all I could think about was you, Z. I felt trapped because I had to be with her -- for that assignment -- and I felt like I made her fall for me. I felt guilty about all of it. But I never stopped thinking of you. Or wanting to be with you. I could never tell her but... whenever I ... was with her... I had to pretend I was... making love to _you_. Because she didn't make me feel... I mean, I couldn't feel anything when she touched me and... I had to act like she was the one, but... I wanted it to be YOU, Ziva. It was killing me, not being able to ... love the woman I really wanted."

"That," Ziva said, again propping herself up to gaze down on Tony in the moonlight, "is in the past, Tony. Now we have our future -- together -- to enjoy each other."

And with that, nothing else needed to be said.


	18. 100 Years

Title: 100 Years  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony envisions his future with Ziva and Baby Sarah as the years go by...

**-------------------- 100 Years ---------------------**

"But I don't want to learn anything today, Daddy. So why do I have to go to school?"

Tony racked his brain for an answer to the question but found none.

"Answer your daughter, Tony." Ziva, scanning the latest list of known Mossad global terrorists, didn't bother to look up at her husband. She calmly stirred her tea.

"I will, Sweet Cheeks," Tony barked in reply, "when I come up with one!" Snarling, he took a huge bite of his cinnamon roll. "What are YOU laughing at?" he asked Sarah, who was giggling into her cereal.

"You got stuff on your chin, Daddy!" She snorked a laugh, milk coming out her nose, which only made her laugh that much more.

Tony cocked an eyebrow as he wiped his chin with the back of his hand. Noticing the icing from his pastry, he said "Hmmm!" and licked it from his hand. Sarah laughed uncontrollably and Tony flashed her his goofiest smile. Ziva now looked up to see what was going on.

"Oy! You two!" Rolling her eyes at the scene, she muttered something in Hebrew and shook her head before going back to her work. Tony winked at Sarah, who smiled broadly and stuck her tongue out at him. He growled back at her. Without looking back up, Ziva addressed them both.

"Tony, do not act like you are five years old. And Sarah, because you are five years old, you will go to school," she said, finishing her tea. Just then, a pair of cries -- sounding as if they were coming in stereo from another room -- got Ziva's attention.

"Mommy, the babies are up," Sarah said, gathering a spoonful of cereal.

"Ah, yes," Ziva answered. "It is time for them to rise and whine."

"That's rise and..." Tony started to correct his wife, who was always mangling her American sayings, but stopped short. "Y'know, Honey Bun, I think you got this one right. Tell you what," he continued, getting up from the table, "I'll grab 'em."

Taking the stairs two by two, Tony headed to the nursery where his twin sons squirmed in their cribs, fussy after waking. Hands on hips, he stared down briefly at his baby boys.

"Guys! GUYS!," he said to the tiny pair, who looked up at the sound of his voice. "What's the problem, huh? Heck, I gotta just about ROLL your big sister outta the bed every morning to get her up. C'mon..."

Hauling up a baby in each arm, Tony sat in an oversized rocker and cradled his sons to his chest. They immediately calmed down, their cries becoming whimpers and finally, infant babble.

"Yeah, I know," he said as the boys goo-ed and gah-ed away quietly, "Gonna be quiet around here with Sarah going to school today. Big day for her, fellas. First day of kindergarten. I can't believe she's five already. But you're gonna get there one day." He kissed each baby's forehead tenderly. "Too soon," he whispered.

From downstairs, a small but powerful voice rang out.

"DADDY! Mommy says we gotta GO! I'm gonna be late for SCHOOL!"

Tony sighed, rising from the chair.

"What Mommy says, Daddy does," he told the babies, who stared at him understandingly. "Five," he said to himself, nearly whispering. "How'd she turn five?"

Downstairs, Tony handed off the twins to Ziva, who kissed him -- and Sarah -- as they headed out the door to school.

"I will pick you up this afternoon," she promised Sarah, who gave her a thumbs-up sign in reply.

Buckled up in the vintage Mustang, Tony turned to his little girl.

"You're gonna be fine today, y'know? At school."

"I know, Daddy," Sarah gave Tony a look of total confidence. "You know how Mommy always says be pre... pre... pre-PARED for anything? Well, I got my secret weapon. So I'm pre-PARED."

Tony cocked an eyebrow.

"What secret weapon? I don't wanna get any calls from your teacher telling me that you booby-trapped nap time."

Sarah giggled.

"You're silly, Daddy."

Tony studied her cautiously. "I know that. But WHAT secret weapon? Spill it, my Junior Ninja."

Unzipping her pink backpack, Sarah brandished her weapon of choice. Tony narrowed his eyes.

"Oh," he said. "I see. Fine. Just don't use it unless you have to. Got that? The other kids may not be packing."

"Okay, Daddy," Sarah replaced her special gear, zipping her backpack.

"Might wanna give him some air," Tony suggested, peeling out of the driveway.

"Yeah," Sarah agreed. Unzipping the pack again, she left just enough space for Tony The Tiger to peek his fuzzy striped orange head out as they drove to school.

-------------------------------------------

"Sarah's on the phone again, Dad," T.J. DiNozzo said, running out into the backyard to join his father and brother for a game of catch.

"With her BOYfriend!" J.T., his twin, joked. Tony frowned. He didn't know his daughter, who'd just turned 16, had a boyfriend. Or was even dating. Or had even thought about dating.

"ZEEEEEEE-VAAAAAAH!" Tony yelled.

THIS would be a Special Op for sure. And he'd need his partner's help to tackle such a delicate mission.

"Yes, my Furry Bear?" Ziva answered, her head popping up from behind the trellis where she'd been caring for her roses. At the words 'Furry Bear,' the boys snickered. Tony growled at them and they quieted down, tossing the baseball back and forth. But when he turned to go talk with his wife, the duo giggled again behind his back, whispering "Furry Bear" to crack each other up.

Sitting down on the grass beside Ziva, Tony stared into the distance, his handsome face a mask of concern. Ziva watched her husband, unsure of what was wrong.

"Tony?" she asked, wiping her brow as she began to re-spade the dirt in her small plot. "You look pale. Are you feeling alright, my love?"

"Sarah," Tony gasped, "the twins say she's got a ..."

"... boyfriend," Ziva finished for him. "Yes, she told me."

"TOLD you?" Tony asked, shocked. "Why'd she tell YOU when I had to hear it through the GRAPEVINE?!!!"

Ziva stared at him. "How do you HEAR through a grapevine? That is not possible."

"It's an expression, Sugar Lips," Tony snapped. Then, sighing, he put his head in his hands. "Aw, honey, I'm sorry. I don't mean to take it out on you. I just don't understand why Sarah didn't say anything to ME about this guy. I mean, I am her dad. And she's GOT a boyfriend! Hello? His name is TONY -- as in TIGER!" He looked up at Ziva, truly sad. She took off her gardening gloves and caressed his cheek.

"Oh, Tony, she is just... growing up. That is all. She is 16. You cannot blame her for wanting a real boyfriend instead of a stuffed toy!" Ziva chuckled until she saw how forlorn Tony remained. "Darling... she still loves you. And you will ALWAYS be her first love because you are her Papa. You know that." Tony looked down miserably, as if he didn't believe Ziva's words. "You KNOW that," Ziva reiterated tenderly. "You will always be MY first true love... Tony," she purred suggestively. He looked up, a slight smile playing at his lips.

"The last time you spent an evening talking to me in that tone of voice," Tony said slyly, "we ended up with twin boys." He nodded in the direction of their sons, who were still tossing the baseball around the yard, yelling with all the energy that only 11-year-olds have.

"It has not been that long," Ziva corrected. "But as I recall, it was quite an ... intense night for both of us." She smiled knowingly at Tony. He returned her look with a smoldering stare of his own.

"Yeah," he said, remembering the night in question. "I wouldn't mind a do-over." He leaned in to kiss Ziva. Taking her in his arms, he pulled her to him, his lips meeting hers hungrily.

"Okay, GROSS!" Sarah's voice interrupted their passionate embrace. "Ew! Mom! DAD! Like, can you STOP?!!!"

"NO," Tony mumbled, unwilling to break his kiss with Ziva, "we CAN'T." They returned to embracing. Tony closed his eyes, waving Sarah away.

"GAH!" Sarah huffed, stalking off. "Come ON, Gibbs! Let's get OUT of here! Mom, we're going to the movies."

"Bye, Mrs. D," Gibbs said. "See ya, Mr. D. I'll have Sarah home right after the movie. And I've got my cellphone with me, so if you need to reach us..."

"Gibbs, come ON! They don't need to know EVERYTHING! GEEZ!" Sarah yanked the lanky boy's arm, nearly causing him to trip in the process, as they headed for his old car.

Tony's eyes widened as Ziva's tongue probed his. He hurriedly broke the kiss, leaving his wife frenching air.

"GIBBS?!!! NOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Yanking his iPhone 2025 out of his back pocket, Tony stabbed at the screen. He slammed the phone to his ear, whimpering a little at having unintentionally hurt himself in the process. Ziva gave him a quizzical look. Then, realizing what was happening, she smiled, put her gloves back on and returned to her gardening.

"Abs?! Where's PROBIE?!!! Uh-huh... Mmm-hmmm... Well, you tell McGOLF when he gets home from his 18 holes of futility to gimme a call ASAP! Why? WHY?!!! Because that horny little McGOTH of yours is dating MY BABY GIRL, THAT'S WHY!!!" Tony was screaming, furious. "YEAH, I called him HORNY! Listen, ABBY, I was a 16-year-old BOY once! I KNOW 16-year-old BOYS and they're ALL HORNY! WHADDAYA MEAN YOUR KID'S MORE MATURE THAN I AM?!!! YOU... YOU JUST HAVE McMULLIGAN CALL ME! Of COURSE I still LOVE you! Yeah, yeah... BYE." Hanging up, Tony jammed the phone back in his pocket and collapsed back on the grass, growling out loud as he did so. Ziva lay down beside him. Removing her gloves once more, she stroked her husband's hair.

"Tony... my love..." she said, clearly worried, "calm down. Please. Sarah and Gibbs have known each other since they were children. He is a nice boy. You know that. I do not mind that she is going out with him." Tony looked over at her.

"You don't?" He sighed, worn out from the day's events, and closed his eyes. "Ah, hell, I guess I don't either. It's just... I don't want Sarah going out. With BOYS."

Ziva chuckled.

"Because you are afraid she will meet a boy like YOU, Tony?"

Tony glared back at her, raising one eyebrow.

"No, Sweet Cheeks," he said slowly, "I'm afraid for the BOYS who'll meet a girl like HER."

Ziva's grin faded into a concerned frown.

"Good point," she said, resting her head on Tony's chest.

"She takes after YOU, y'know," Tony said, reaching over to take Ziva's hand in his. "Those boys don't stand a chance." Ziva giggled, eliciting a smile from Tony.

Just then, their sons, who had ended their game of catch, bounded over and flopped down beside them.

"Mom, we're bored," Tony Jr., who went by T.J., said, playing with a blade of grass.

"And hungry, Dad," J.T., whose real name was Jethro Timothy, chimed in.

"I believe we have our orders," Ziva said to Tony, who took a deep breath and closed his eyes before answering.

"Okay," he said at last with a great sigh, "everybody into the 'Stang. We're going out for pizza. I don't think we've tried that new place over by the MOVIE theater." Giving Ziva a wink, Tony flashed her a dazzling smile.

-------------------------------------------

"WHADDAYA MEAN YOU LOST THE RING?!!!" Tony's eyes were huge with shock.

"J.T. had it, Dad," T.J. explained, "HE lost it, not ME!"

"Nuh-UH!," J.T., T.J.'s twin, countered. "T.J. gave it to me, Dad, but then HE took it back!"

"Because I was afraid YOU'D lose it!" T.J. yelled.

"Well, LOOK who's talking!" J.T. shot back.

"You know WHAT?!!!" Tony screamed at his sons, "Right now, you're BOTH LOSERS!!! NOW FIND YOUR SISTER'S WEDDING RING BEFORE..."

"MOM finds out," the teen boys said in unison, giving each other terrified looks.

"Or your SISTER finds out," Tony whispered. "They're both NINJAS, y'know."

The twins ran off, full-tilt, in pursuit of the missing ring.

_How can Sarah get MARRIED_, Tony thought to himself, _when she still SLEEPS with that TIGER?!!!_

-------------------------------------------

"His name's Tony," Sarah explained to the kindergarten teacher, "That's also my father's name -- and one of my brothers'."

"So we call him T3," her husband, Gibbs, joked. "Then again, I guess that... doesn't really work in a classroom setting, does it?" He screwed his eyes up towards the ceiling and puckered his lips, thinking. It was something he'd picked up from his mother.

"My REAL name's Anthony Leroy McGee," the little boy said helpfully. "But it's OK if you call me Tony. That was my PAPA Tony's name and he was my grandpa. He was the best." Tony looked down sadly. "He went to Heaven last year, though. He needed to go be a Special Agent Angel and help out my Great Grandpa Eli and my Uncle Ducky and UNCLE Gibbs. And my Aunt Kate and Aunt Jenny. But I never met them."

"Our family is NCIS," Sarah explained. "Both my brothers are special agents. And Gibbs," she took her husband's arm in hers, "runs the main lab here in D.C."

"Ohhh, I see. I know you must really miss your grandfather," the teacher said gently. "So... Tony it is, then," the teacher continued, trying to cheer the boy. "And who's this?" she asked, peering at something peeking out of Tony's backpack.

"HIS name's Tony, too" he said, pulling a well-worn fuzzy orange tiger from the pack.

"He's his secret weapon," Sarah said, winking at the teacher.

-------------------------------------------

"NUH! NUUUUUHHHHH!" Thrashing around in the bed, Tony screamed so loudly he finally woke himself -- and Ziva. Sweaty and panting, he sat straight up, his eyes wide with fear.

"Tony!" Ziva said, pushing her hair back, "What is the matter?"

"Sarah," Tony gasped. "Where's SARAH?!!!" Throwing off the covers, he leapt out of the bed and raced down the hallway to the nursery.

Standing in the doorway, bathed in soft pink light, Tony caught his breath. Baby Sarah was sound asleep in her crib, clutching Tony The Tiger to her side as always. Quietly padding into the room, Tony stood over the crib, just soaking up the sight of his tiny girl sleeping, an occasional little kick her only movement.

Tenderly, so as not to wake her, Tony reached down and stroked her soft, fine hair with his fingertips. She gurgled happily, squirming just a bit, and went back to dreaming. Tony gazed adoringly down at her.

_Twins_, he thought, rolling his eyes, as he felt Ziva's arms encircle him gently from behind.


	19. Happytimes

Title: Happytimes  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony, Ziva, Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger hit the pool. Short and sweet TIVA family scene.

-------------------- **Happytimes** ---------------------

Baby Sarah squealed with unmitigated joy as she splashed Tony over and over in the pool. Ziva, sunning herself in a lounge chair nearby (in the famous Black Bikini), watched the scene from behind her sunglasses. Tony The Tiger lay on a beach towel next to Ziva's chair, also taking in the day's events. On him, Sarah had carefully placed her pink Hello Kitty shades. A bottle of sunscreen lotion sat between he and Ziva.

"Sarah! Quit! That! Don't! Splash! Daddy!" Tony sputtered between facefuls of water. Sarah brought her strong little arms up high, then slammed them down into the water so that huge walls of splashes hit Tony constantly. He hacked and coughed, unable to fully open his eyes or catch his breath. Seeing him flail around only made Sarah laugh that much harder.

Finally, when Tony was at his wit's end and Baby Sarah was raising her arms for one more huge splash, there was an end to the water torture. Sarah looked surprised when she herself was lifted out of the water and dropped back down, getting splashed and completely soaked herself. Bobbing up, she coughed for a few seconds, frowned and looked up to see Ziva staring back at her.

"Not so much fun when the shoe is on the other boot, is it, Little Dolphin?" she said to Baby Sarah, who giggled and smiled. Ziva winked at her.

"On... other... foot," Tony gasped. "Shoe's on... the other foot, Sweet Cheeks. A shoe can't be on a boot." Wiping his eyes, which were red from the pool water, Tony tried catching his breath. "Whew... She went crazy there for a while, huh?" Addressing Baby Sarah, Tony pouted and said in a whiny voice, "I thought we were friends!" Turning his back on Ziva and Sarah, he crossed his arms over his chest, sticking his chin up high in the air. Ziva rolled her eyes, smirking. Sarah dog-paddled towards him as fast as she could, wrapping her little arms around Tony's waist in a hug as soon as she reached him.

"Da-Da?" she whimpered, snuggling against Tony's back, a worried look crossing her tiny face. "Da-Da?" She patted his fuzzy tummy with her little hands.

Tony, completely smitten, turned around and pulled Sarah up into his arms, cradling her against his wet, hairy chest. She then poked at his chest gently, "Da-Da"-ing much more happily as Tony smooched her forehead. When he gave her a raspberry right on her belly, she screamed with glee.

Ziva, relaxing against the side of the pool, laughed tenderly at the two of them.

"You are quite a pair," she said, grinning. Tony and Sarah floated over to join her. Sarah reached out her tiny arms, hugging Ziva around the neck and snuggling up to her. Tony took a place next to Ziva, who maneuvered so as to sit in front of him. Tony wrapped his strong arms around Ziva's waist as he sat on the pool bottom in the shallow end. He pulled her back to him, pressing her back against his body. When he had her positioned where he wanted her, he nuzzled her neck, peppering her skin with hot little kisses. Ziva shuddered under his touch. Sarah, beginning to tire from the busy day at the pool, yawned and rested her head on Ziva's shoulder. Ziva leaned back against Tony, immediately feeling his physical response.

"Most men do not have that reaction in the water," Ziva remarked, a sly smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

"When will you understand," Tony said huskily, breathing the words into Ziva's neck. "that I'm not like most men?"

"Oh, you do not have to tell me," Ziva chuckled. Tony moaned, rubbing his cheek against her skin, in reply. "Well, Sarah is exhausted. I think we should call it a day." She started to move away from Tony, but he held her fast against him.

"Mmmmhhh," he growled. "Don't leave me like this, Z. C'mon... Just a few more minutes?"

Ziva rolled her eyes, smiling.

"All right," she sighed. "But I will not be responsible for what happens to you if Tony The Tiger gets a sunburn."


	20. Yummy Yummy Yummy

Title: Yummy Yummy Yummy  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony cooks breakfast. Everyone else suffers. Short and sweet TIVA family scene.

**-------------------- Yummy Yummy Yummy ---------------------**

"Milk. Eggs. Pancake mix. Butter. Syrup... syrup... syrup? Ha-HAH! SYRUP! And... the SPECIAL ingredient! Ahhhh... this is gonna be good. Heh heh..."

Tony rattled around in the kitchen as quietly as possible. It was early Sunday morning and everyone else in the apartment was still asleep. He, Ziva, Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger had spent all day Saturday at the local pool, playing and sunning themselves. They'd all come home that night and literally collapsed into their beds, wiped out from so much fun. Baby Sarah, who usually still wanted to play when it was bedtime, had conked out at the pool and had been sleeping soundly ever since. Ziva lay sprawled across the master bed, snoring so loudly that Tony could clearly hear her all the way from the kitchen.

_My drunken ninja sailor_, he mused lovingly, sniffing a carton of milk as he removed it from the refrigerator. Tony's thoughts returned to the previous night, when he'd awakened in the wee hours of the morning feeling particularly romantic. He'd gotten turned on at the pool when Ziva had pressed against him and, no matter how tired he was or how much he'd tried to relax all night, found himself still wanting to make love to her hours later. And so, when he'd tried waking Ziva with kisses and tender caresses a couple of hours earlier, he'd thought she was coming around to the idea when he heard her moan in her sleep. But just as he moved his hand up to gently touch her breast, Tony heard a clicking sound, felt a sudden movement and realized that Ziva had unconsciously whipped out her Glock from beneath her pillow and pointed it straight at his head. Carefully rolling over, he lay on his back, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, his desire for lovemaking immediately quenched. Ziva moaned again, muttered something in Hebrew and tucked the Glock back under her pillow. "Crazy chick," Tony had whispered to himself, gulping as he tried to catch his breath and slow his pounding heartbeat. _If she didn't really love me, I'd be laid out flat on Ducky's slab right now_, Tony thought, smiling as he gathered the various pans and bowls he'd need to prepare his special breakfast.

Just then, Tony heard a tiny voice singing softly through the baby monitor. _Snugglepumpkin's up_, he thought, frowning as he eyeballed the whisk. Next came the same tiny voice making a loud, scary "GROWWWWL" sound. _So's our tiger._ Putting down the whisk, he headed for the nursery. Baby Sarah sat up in the infant bed, hugging Tony The Tiger. She gave Tony a huge smile when he entered the room. He leaned into the crib, hauling up his baby girl and her fuzzy toy, cradling both against his bare chest.

"You sleep OK, Snugglepumpkin?" Tony asked, giving Baby Sarah a little kiss on her forehead. He nuzzled her tiny nose with his. "Somebody was ZONKED last night, huh? You had a big day yesterday! Splashing Daddy at the pool like that." Sarah giggled and had Tony The Tiger give Tony Sr. a fuzzy kiss, punctuated by another tiny but fierce "GROWWWWL!" Tony frowned, pooching out his lips.

"Hungry, eh, Mr. Stripeypants? Well, let's see what we can rustle up for breakfast. AFTER somebody gets a change!" Tony carried Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger, who continued growling off and on, over to the changing table, grabbing some diapers, wipes and Butt Paste on his way.

-------------------------------------------

When Ziva awoke, it was to the sound of three things: Baby Sarah crying, Tony's voice telling Sarah not to cry because "Daddy has everything under control, Muffincuddles" and the smoke alarm going haywire. Ziva wrinkled her nose at the smoky fumes in the bedroom, fanning the air in front of her face with her hand as she coughed. Jumping out of the bed, she hurried down the hallway and stopped, shocked at what she saw in the kitchen.

"Aw... Snugglepumpkin! It's OK, sweetie! Daddy's here! I'm gonna have all this old smelly smoke outta here in NO time!" Tony dashed around the kitchen, fanning the air with everything at hand -- spoons, pots, pans, the whisk -- as Baby Sarah, tucked into her high chair at the breakfast nook, bawled, tears streaking her little face. Tony The Tiger lay on the floor next to the high chair. During one of his harried rounds of the kitchen, Tony picked up the toy, placing him on Sarah's high chair tray. She screamed and hurled him as far across the room as she could. Tony The Tiger sailed through the air, landing right in Ziva's arms as if on cue. Baby Sarah suddenly stopped screaming, taking a ragged breath as she noticed Ziva. "MAMA!" she whimpered, holding out her little arms. "Maaaa-maaaa!" Choking up, she began to cry again. Ziva calmly went to Sarah, picked her up out of the high chair and, gently handing her Tony The Tiger (who Sarah now hugged protectively), snuggled her baby girl against her shoulder. Tony, standing in the center of the mess he'd made of the kitchen, looked terrified as Ziva approached him. Her dark eyes betrayed nothing.

"Eggs DiNozzo?" Tony asked, smiling weakly as he offered Ziva a plate of something hard, crispy, black and smoking. Baby Sarah sobbed at the sight of it, turning her little head away. Ziva glared at him.

"Turn... off... that... smoke... alarm," she said, her voice unnaturally calm and emotionless.

"Heh! You GOT it, Sweet Cheeks!" Tony laughed, setting down the plate of blackened food. "I am ON it! As soon as I can FIND the smoke alarm..." He looked up at the ceiling, screwing his face up into odd contortions as he searched for the source of the horrible screeching sound that pierced the air.

Without even looking, Ziva used her free hand to grab a nearby broom. Stabbing it straight up into the air, she nailed the smoke alarm, which immediately shut off. Her eyes remained fixed on Tony, who raised one eyebrow, frowning as he looked up to see the alarm hanging from the ceiling.

"Get DRESSED, Tony!" Ziva commanded, her voice still without emotion. "We are going OUT to breakfast!" Turning, she headed for the nursery with the still-sniffling Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger.

Tony stood in the smoky kitchen, burned-out pots and pans all around him. Scratching the hair on his chest, he studied the nightmare scene and wondered what went wrong. Lifting the plate of Eggs DiNozzo, he sniffed at it and gagged.

"Probably used too much garlic," he said, dumping the plate into the trash.


	21. Surround Me

Title: Surround Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Hurt/Comfort  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva face something tougher than an NCIS case: prejudice.  
**  
-------------------- Surround Me ---------------------**

Baby Sarah ran through the newly-mown grass in the broad meadow at the park, dragging Tony The Tiger behind her. The late afternoon sun made her strawberry blonde hair seem even lighter. She screamed and laughed as she toddled at full speed around trees and flower beds.

Tony chased after her, only pretending to want to make the catch. When she rounded a tree, he'd be there to jump out from behind. Sarah squealed with a mix of fear and glee, tearing off in the other direction. Then, at the next obstacle, Tony would be waiting again to surprise her with a "BOO!" Finally, after about 20 minutes of this, Tony finally ran his baby girl down, scooping her (and Tony The Tiger) up into his strong arms. Sarah kicked and giggled. Tony nuzzled her nose and laughed.

"Your daughter looks JUST like you," a slender blonde woman, sitting on a nearby park bench, said as Tony turned around with Sarah and TonyTiger hanging onto his shoulder. "She's adorable." The woman, who Tony judged to be in her mid- to late-20s, smiled at him in a way he recognized from his old on-the-prowl days. "How old is she?" the woman asked, nodding slightly to indicate there was plenty of space for Tony to join her on the bench. He opted to stand beneath the shade of a nearby tree while he waited for Ziva to meet him. Gibbs had asked her to help on a case that morning and, despite it being a Saturday and she, Tony and Sarah having plans to picnic in the park, Ziva had agreed to assist.

"About nine months," he answered, catching his breath. "Started walking at seven months. Gonna have her running a 5K on her first birthday if everything goes according to plan." Tony smiled at his own joke.

"Nine months?!!!" the woman said, truly surprised. "Most babies don't even start walking until they're past a year! What? Do you have her on some special formula or something?" She stretched her arm across the back of the bench, again welcoming Tony to have a seat. He pretended not to notice.

"Nah! She takes after her mama." Tony gave Sarah a little kiss, which she responded to by kissing him back. "Isn't that right, Cuddlemuffin? My ... _wife's_ the athletic one in the family." Tony swallowed hard, considering what he'd just said. Yes, he'd lied about Ziva being his wife; they were still only engaged. But their wedding date was fast approaching, they'd been living together for months and had been caring for Baby Sarah as her parents in every sense of the term except for having gone through with the legal adoption, which they'd planned to have completed immediately after they were married. So Tony felt as if he and Ziva were already a couple, that he, Ziva and Sarah were a family -- all that was left was to sign the papers and go through with the ceremonies.

"Ohhh..." the woman replied, disappointment evident in her tone. "Your wife. Well, she's certainly... lucky." As she rose to leave, the woman tossed her blonde hair and gave Tony a wink. "Wish my timing was better," she said, simpering, before turning to walk away.

_Good GOD,_ Tony thought as he watched her go. _THAT used to turn me ON? What did I ever used to SEE in chicks like her? I must've been INSANE. I'M the lucky one, because I've got ZIVA -- not the other way around._ Baby Sarah tenderly batted his back with Tony The Tiger.

"Yeah, I know," he said, "Mommy's late and Mr. Stripeypants is gettin' hungry."

From over his shoulder, Tony heard a tiny voice issue a loud GROWWWL sound and then sigh impatiently.

-------------------------------------------

"Ha-HAH!" Tony said, looking up from where he lay on the grass. "Mommy to the rescue! Hope she brought chips." Baby Sarah lay on his chest, dozing. At Tony's movement, she woke up and smacked her tiny lips. Tony The Tiger sat against Tony's side.

"SORRY I am so late!" Ziva said breathlessly. She flopped down beside Tony and Sarah, carefully setting the large picnic basket she'd been carrying beside her. "THERE is my little princess!" she said, her dark eyes fixing on Sarah. Baby Sarah propped herself up on Tony's chest and gave Ziva a huge smile, squeaking with joy at seeing her. Ziva picked her up and hugged Sarah to her tightly, rocking her as she gave her a slew of kisses. Sarah giggled. Tony rolled over onto his side, watching them. His green eyes sparkled.

"Nothing for Daddy?" he murmured, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. Ziva narrowed her dark eyes at him teasingly before leaning over to meet Tony for a tender kiss. Baby Sarah, taking it all in, clapped giddily. "We missed you today," Tony said, stroking Ziva's arm. "Sarah ran me ragged -- all over the park. Got in my jog for a couple days." Ziva chuckled.

"Then I am sure you are both so hungry you could eat a house," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Would you like to see what is in our basket?"

"Sweet Cheeks," Tony said lovingly as Ziva handed him a blanket to spread on the grass, "I think you mean 'eat a horse.' Nobody eats a house."

"And why would you eat a horse?" Ziva countered, taking some neatly-wrapped sandwiches from the basket. "That makes no sense." Baby Sarah nodded in agreement, hugging Tony The Tiger closely to her chest.

"Well..." Tony searched for an answer but found nothing that worked. Peeking into the basket, he frowned. "No chips? What's a sandwich without chips?" Taking his sandwich, he unwrapped it, put it in front of his face and, manipulating the bread as if it were speaking, whined "I'm so LONE-LEEEEEEE!!!" Ziva stifled a giggle. Baby Sarah laughed out loud. Rewrapping the sandwich, Tony got to his feet, nodding towards a nearby snack stand. "This is a job for Snack Man," he joked. "Chips all around!" Lifting his chin, superhero-style, he headed off. Ziva smiled, shaking her head.

"Hungry, _Teki?_" Ziva unwrapped a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Sarah, handing her half. Sarah took it and chomped down, smiling back at Ziva with a mouth full of PBJ. "No, Sarah," Ziva gently corrected, giving Sarah a waggle of her index finger, "you do not eat with your mouth open. It is not polite. Mommy does not like it when you do that and neither does Daddy."

"Mommy?" Ziva heard a female voice, from not too far behind her, say under her breath. "No WAY that little girl is hers!"

"Yeah, I met the dad earlier - that's him over there at the snack bar," another woman replied, trying not to be heard. "HE's gorgeous. The baby looks just like him. But her? Please. I can't believe he's even WITH her. He could do SO much better." The woman snickered. Ziva felt her face grow hot.

"Aren't they supposed to marry other Jews anyway? I mean, I see him and he is NOT a Jew. Neither is that baby. Look at her -- she's so dark. Maybe she's not a Jew. Maybe she's, like, a Mexican or something. Who knows? I can't tell." Ziva's throat tightened; she suddenly found it hard to breathe.

"Yeah, no kidding," the other woman said. "If that's what he thinks is hot then he must be pretty hard-up. I just feel sorry for that kid, having to tell people that's her mom? Like people will believe that when she gets older." Tears began to well in Ziva's eyes. She hurriedly wiped them away. The womens' laughter trailed off as they left the park. Baby Sarah put down her sandwich and looked up at Ziva. Her eyes were wide and she looked sad. "Mama?" she said, reaching out her tiny hand to pat Ziva's knee. Ziva buried her face in her hands, sobbing. "Mama?" Sarah said again, sounding as if she, too, were about to cry.

"Ha-HAH! LOOK who got the LAST three packs of CHEEZ-E-POPS!" Tony plopped down next to Ziva and Sarah on the blanket, brandishing three packs of chips. His toothy grin vanished as soon as he saw Ziva's shaking shoulders and Sarah's tear-streaked face. "Hey... Ziva... honey... what's wrong?" Tony picked up Sarah, pulling Ziva to him. Both sobbed into his chest. Tony looked flabbergasted. "What happened? Ziva... Sarah... Shhhh... It's okay... C'mon... Shhhhhhh..." He hugged Ziva and Sarah close to his body, feeling suddenly protective of them although he didn't understand why.

After a few minutes, when Ziva and Sarah had calmed down and stopped crying, Tony decided he'd again try asking what had gone so wrong with their perfect picnic.

"Z? You OK now?" he said gently, touching his nose to hers. Ziva nodded. Tony pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and tenderly wiped her face. Folding it, he then wiped off Sarah's face. Sarah let out a ragged little sigh and rested her head on Tony's shoulder, staring sadly at a distant tree. "Baby," Tony whispered to Ziva, "what's wrong?"

"I heard some women," Ziva sniffled, trying to steady her voice, "saying that ... Sarah is obviously not my child. Because I am a Jew. Or perhaps a Mexican. Apparently, it is difficult to tell since I am so -- how did she put it? -- dark." Tony's eyes searched Ziva's for only a split second before she quickly looked down. He stroked her cheek.

"Oh, honey..." Tony sighed, his lip quivering slightly. "You know that's not true."

"And," Ziva continued, swallowing hard, "YOU are gorgeous and they cannot understand why someone who looks like YOU is with someone who looks like ME." She looked away, tears again welling up in her eyes. "YOU are not a JEW like ME, Tony, so YOU should not MARRY a JEW -- like ME." Ziva's voice broke as she wiped away the hot tears. Tony clenched his jaw, furious at what he'd just heard -- at what Ziva had heard.

"YOU believe that, Ziva?" he asked, his voice dripping with bitterness at how hurt Ziva was. "You think they're right? I'm too good for you?" He rolled his eyes, thinking. "Hmmm... lemme see... I'm the guy who used to chase anything in a skirt, used to think four months was a long-term relationship, used to panic if a woman wanted to see me after the third date, used to laugh at guys who wanted to get married and have a wife and kids and a house and a dog. That's who I am. That's the guy you fell in love with. Oh! And..." he laughed, mocking himself, "... then there was that whole thing where I wasted a year with Jeanne, trying to convince myself I loved her while I was using her for information. Didn't help that you were all I could think of when I was with her. But I guess I shouldn't have wanted to be with YOU or realized that I was falling in love with YOU -- since you're Jewish and I'm not. Right?" Ziva continued looking down, wiping her tears.

"Ahhh..." Tony went on, "... and SARAH! Yeah, why should anyone believe you're her mother? All you've done is - ah, I don't know - find her in that ratty old crib after her mother was killed and rescue her from that slum she was living in. And then you offered to take her in when there wasn't a foster family to keep her out of the orphanage and you took her back when the first foster family didn't work out and you did everything above and beyond to become her foster mom. You rocked her to sleep at night. You bathed her. You changed her. You hold her when she cries. But, no, she doesn't look like you so YOU can't be her mother." Ziva stopped crying, but still didn't look at Tony.

"Dammit, Ziva," Tony whispered, "the HELL with what anyone ELSE thinks about us! Or about you, me and Sarah! Ziva -- we are a FAMILY! You and Sarah are my whole world, baby. Do I care if you're Jewish? YEAH! Because I love that about you! I love that you're Jewish and I'm Catholic. I love that this baby girl came into our lives and she's just... she's been OURS since Day One. She looks at us and all she sees is Mama and Da-Da. You get home at night and she goes crazy to hug and kiss you. Think SHE'd agree you're not her mommy?" Finally, Ziva lifted her eyes to meet Tony's.

"Tony," she said, softly but still sadly, "I understand what you are saying. And I believe all of those things. But other people... they don't. It is just painful. That is all. I do not want Sarah being teased someday because of me." Tony pulled Ziva to him, touching his forehead to hers.

"Our Sarah," he said lovingly, "is gonna be the kind of girl who can take care of herself when she grows up." Giving Ziva a sweet kiss on the cheek, Tony added, "That's something she gets from her mother -- you, Ziva. And I can't wait until I'm your husband... and you're my wife. And this little Snugglepumpkin is Sarah DiNozzo." He frowned. "David? David-DiNozzo? DiNozzo-David? Whatever you want, Z." Sarah, still snuggled against Tony's shoulder, cooed softly. Ziva took her from Tony, cradling Sarah to her bosom. Sarah sighed contentedly.

"I think Sarah DiNozzo is a lovely name for our little princess," Ziva said, her voice now steady and calm. "Alright, then. We have our Cheesy Plops. So let us eat." She smiled shyly. Sarah, whose mood had mirrored Ziva's, now was happy again. And Tony, his shirt front damp from tears, felt as if he were falling in love with Ziva for the first time again -- noticing every little thing about her like he hadn't in a while. He chuckled at her calling the chips 'Cheesy Plops.' Tonight, when they got home and Sarah was fast asleep, he would prove to Ziva just how much he loved her -- how much he needed her. And she wouldn't have any doubts.

Propping up Tony The Tiger against the picnic basket, Tony picked up his sandwich. Bringing it up in front of his mouth again, he made it "talk" once more.

"Wherrrrre's my CHEEEEEEEESY PLOPS?!!!"

Stuffing a few of the snacks into the sandwich's "mouth," Tony chomped down, taking a huge bite. He opened his mouth, smiling broadly at Ziva and Sarah. Sarah gave Ziva a serious look and waggled her tiny finger at Tony.

"No, Da-Da," Sarah softly scolded. Tony frowned, raising one eyebrow as he looked quizzically at Ziva.

"That," Ziva said with a smile, hugging Sarah to her, "is my girl."


	22. Run To You

Title: Run To You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Hurt / Comfort  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: When Ziva is nearly killed during an assignment, a shocked, fearful Tony relies on Gibbs for strength as his fianceé fights to survive. Gibbs/Tony father/son. No slash.

**-------------------- Run To You ---------------------**

The last words he heard Ziva speak were directed his way. They were harsh, demanding, to the point.

"GET DOWN, TONY! NOW!"

After that, there had only been popping sounds, the feel of Ziva's body suddenly atop his and a certain sticky, spreading warmth that he couldn't immediately identify.

-------------------------------------------

"Where is she?"

"ER docs said they just took her to surgery, Boss."

"Tony?"

"ER, Boss. Got him over in that room. They want to keep him away from the other patients. He's in shock. They're monitoring him."

"McGee, I want you posted out by that ER entrance. Abby..."

"I know, Boss. On it."

"McGEE! One more thing..."

"On that, too, Boss. Ducky's already agreed to keep Sarah for as long as Tony and Ziva need him to. And I'm backing him up."

"Good work. I'm with Tony."

-------------------------------------------

"Tony..." Gibbs clenched his jaw, concerned about his Senior Field Agent.

"Yeah, Boss," Tony replied softly.

"You okay?" Gibbs' blue eyes fixed on Tony's crisp light blue dress shirt and accompanying grass green tie, both of which were more than half-covered with a deep, dark purplish stain.

"Fine, Boss." Tony answered even more quietly than before.

"Ziva's gonna pull through this, Tony," Gibbs said, as much to convince himself it would be true as to sell that fact to Tony. "You know she will. Gonna take more than a couple bullets to bring her down."

"She picked out this shirt," Tony said, a strange smile crossing his face as he stared off into space. "Me, I wanted to go for something kinda out there, y'know? Really show off? I was all for buyin' this dark red shirt with a gray tie. But she told me I'd look handsome in this. She picked out the tie, too. Got so excited this morning when I surprised her at breakfast by wearing 'em. First time I've had 'em on. Guess she shoulda heard me out, huh? Then this stain wouldn't look so bad. Heh..." Tony laughed weakly, continuing to stare at nothing.

"Tony..." Gibbs began as calmly as possible, knowing Tony was suffering from the shock of seeing Ziva seriously wounded, "... I'm right here. Not goin' anywhere. We're gonna be RIGHT here. Together. When Ziva wakes up. You got that?"

"Got it, Boss." Tony looked down at his shirt, then looked up at Gibbs. "I couldn't stop her from bleeding. She wouldn't stop bleeding, Boss." His voice cracked with emotion and he quickly hid his eyes, filling with tears, by shielding his face with his hands.

"She's here, Tony. She's fightin' up there," Gibbs said in a low, reassuring tone. "You did your best, son." Pulling Tony close, he fiercely hugged his young agent, who now wept openly, as he once had his daughter Kelly when she needed his comfort.

_You can always tell who the really strong man in a crowd is_, Shannon had told him on that long bus ride they'd taken together in 1976 - the one that forever bonded them, _because he's the one who isn't the least bit ashamed to hold the weakest guy up when that man needs help, Gibbs._

-------------------------------------------

"If I lose her, Boss, I lose Sarah. I lose everything. I'm back to where I started. With nothing." Tony stared into his cup of vending machine coffee. It was cold.

"Not gonna lose her, Tony," Gibbs said, taking a sip from his own cup. "Not gonna lose Sarah, either." Somehow he knew, now, that what he told Tony would prove true. It was just a feeling -- something he couldn't explain -- but it was there. Strong.

"They're my life now," Tony said, nearly whispering. "I mean, I wasted a lot of years..." His voice trailed off. Suddenly, he appeared to jerk awake. Turning to Gibbs, Tony said "Boss... Sarah... I've got to..."

"Duck's got her. Keepin' her as long as you need him to. McGee's on his six."

Tony buried his head in his hands again, clearly relieved.

"Thank God," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Thank God."

"Thank Ducky too," Gibbs said, taking another sip of his coffee.

"And the dogs? They're so happy, Tony. Because... Sarah's gonna be there. And they love her. Like... we all do. Like we love... Ziva... so much..." Tony and Gibbs turned around to see Abby standing behind them in the surgery waiting area. Her face looked much paler than normal and she wore no makeup. Instead of her usual garish Goth clothing, she had on just a plain black long-sleeved t-shirt and black slacks. Black shoes finished the look. Tears streamed down her face. Tony and Gibbs both stood to greet her and she made a beeline for both of them. The trio embraced tightly, Abby in the center. Unable to hold back any longer, she began to sob. Gibbs gently pulled away from the group hug, leaving Abby in Tony's arms.

"Goin' for more coffee," he said softly.

As Gibbs headed for the hallway, Tony held Abby close. Her slim shoulders shook uncontrollably as she sobbed that she was so sorry and that Ziva just had to be okay because ALL the nuns were saying special Rosaries for her and it didn't matter if she was Jewish because Sister Rosita said that God wasn't Catholic or Jewish or Muslim or anything else -- He's just God -- and the Sisters had promised 24-hour vigils for Ziva until Abby sent word of God's will. BUT, Abby continued through her sobs, Sister Rosita had a feeling that He might not be quite ready to call Ziva home just yet because Sarah was just a baby and God had sent her to you and Ziva and that was pretty big. And Sister Rosita was NEVER wrong. Abby sniffled, finally regaining some control. Tony handed her his handkerchief from his back pants pocket. Abby blew her nose.

"Tony," Abby said in a sweet, sad voice, "Ziva's gotta be OK. Because she asked me to be her Maid of Honor when you guys get married. And she said I could wear a black dress."

Tony's green eyes searched hers tenderly for a second. Then he gave Abby another gentle hug.

-------------------------------------------

Abby napped quietly, snuggled against Tim, who lay stretched out on one of the waiting room sofas. McGee himself dozed, snoring softly. Ducky had checked in with Gibbs to say that Baby Sarah, who instinctively knew that something was wrong, had been a tad fussy all evening but with the help of his two Corgis (who adored her), she'd had a good supper and a calming bath and was now, with Tony The Tiger, nestled all snug in her bed. The dogs lay beside her crib, snoozing happily. Jimmy Palmer was coming early the next morning to help with breakfast and the morning duties.

Gibbs smiled, remembering how earlier that night Tony, torn up as he was over Ziva, had bravely picked up the phone to give Sarah a little pep-talk about how Mama and Daddy had to do big important work and she was going to get to stay and play with Duck-Duck that night. Apparently Sarah had whimpered a little because Tony then sang her a little song, told her - his voice choking with emotion - to be Mama and Daddy's Good Girl and remember that they loved her more than anything in the whole world.

"Daddy loves you, Snugglepumpkin," Tony had said sweetly to his infant girl, "and Mama..." his voice grew husky as he held back tears so he wouldn't upset the baby, "... Mama loves you SO much, Sarah. You're her little princess." From where he sat, Gibbs faintly heard Sarah coo baby talk softly back to Tony, who brushed away tears with the back of his hand. After clicking the cellphone shut, Tony broke down. Abby, who'd been watching the scene with Gibbs, rushed to him, embraced him and wept with him.

Tim watched silently from a distance. Gibbs walked over to sit with him.

"Tony's gotta pull it together," McGee said quietly. "For Ziva. And Sarah."

"Yep," Gibbs agreed.

"And himself," McGee noted.

"Yep," Gibbs agreed again.

"But you know what, Boss? He will," McGee said, taking a sip of coffee.

"Yep," Gibbs said. Across the room, Tony had stopped crying and was telling Abby that, hey -- if Sister Rosita said it was gonna be OK, they'd better not mess with the Big Guy Upstairs, right? Abby laughed.

-------------------------------------------

After everyone had gone home to rest, finally assured by the doctors that Ziva would make a full recovery from her wounds, Gibbs sat alone in the waiting room. He was exhausted and it was all he could do to stay awake. But he felt as if Tony, who was now at Ziva's side in the recovery room, still needed him there -- just in case. And so he fixed his gaze on the windows across the way. Daylight was fading, the last pink rays of the sun giving way to evening's purple.

_If anything ever happens to me, Leroy Jethro Gibbs_, Shannon had told him once when he'd asked, _what you'll do is, you'll pick yourself up and you'll put that foot in front of the other one and you'll keep right on walking. That's what you'll do. Got it? And if anything ever happens to you, that's what I'll do, too. But I'll miss you, Gibbs. I really will._ And when Kelly had asked why angels had to live in Heaven up in the sky instead of down on Earth with the people they helped, Shannon had that answer, too: _Angels live down here, honey. We just don't see them. But they're right here with us all the time, looking out for us. Whenever you see a sunrise or a sunset, you remember that God is opening up Heaven's doors for all the angels to come help us when we say our prayers._

Toasting the pink and purple before him with his coffee cup, Gibbs smiled and thanked his angels, the pair he had known and loved in this life and who he looked forward to rejoining someday when a special door opened just for him.


	23. I Will

Title: I Will  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; Hurt / Comfort  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva's shooting spurs Tony to make a serious decision about their future together.

**-------------------- I Will ---------------------**

"Tony!" Ziva barked from her post on their living room sofa. "You are hovering!" Despite trying to rein in her emotions, she'd finally reached her wit's end with Tony's seemingly endless ministrations.

Turning from where he had been plumping up another pillow to put under Ziva's head, Tony gave Ziva a wounded look.

"Sorry, Ziva," he said softly, looking truly surprised at her outburst. "I was just... well, anyway, it's here if you need it." He gently placed the pillow near the sofa where Ziva could reach it and, without another word, took a seat across the room in his favorite lounge chair. Ziva's dark eyes followed Tony and she immediately regretted losing her temper with him.

By all accounts, he had been a wreck after she'd been shot and taken to surgery. And yet, the crew from NCIS had all told her, each in their own unique way, Tony had bravely found a way to pull it together and stay strong through the ordeal. She was most touched when Abby related how he'd talked to Baby Sarah on the phone, singing her one of her favorite little songs to help calm her, reminding her how much he and her mommy loved her. Abby said Tony could barely get through the call but he did it -- for Sarah -- and even Gibbs, who, Abby pointedly reminded Ziva, never said anything about stuff like that, had pulled him aside the next day and told him "You're a good father, Tony."

"Tony?" Ziva said after a few minutes, "I did not mean to snap at you. I know you are trying to take care of me. And I appreciate it. I do." She smiled at him, patting the top of the sofa invitingly. "Come. Sit with me, my love. Please?" She really did want him near. Tony looked over, grinned back, and excitedly rushed to Ziva's side. Carefully making a place for himself at the end opposite his fianceé, Tony stroked Ziva's legs tenderly, gazing at her in such a way that she found herself blushing.

"Ziva," he said huskily, running his hands along her strong calves, "it's time."

"Time?" she asked. "For?"

"Us," Tony murmured. "To get married. No more waiting. I'm ready. Now."

Ziva smirked.

"I do not think I am in any condition to go through with a ceremony tonight, Tony," she said teasingly.

"You know what I mean," Tony said in a low, serious tone. "When you're okay. It's time, baby. I almost lost you last month. I'm not going through that again -- not with you NOT being my wife, anyway. And not without Sarah being our daughter -- legally being our little girl. You two are everything to me, Z." He continued caressing her legs; she shivered under his touch.

"Yes," Ziva agreed, swallowing hard as her throat tightened at the sweetness of Tony's words, "it is time, Tony. I want to be your wife. Sarah's mother. Start our family, our lives together." She felt it hard to breathe, her emotions overwhelming her. "Tony..." Ziva said, choking up, "I love you. I thought YOU were going to be shot -- and I couldn't allow that to happen. I couldn't let you be hurt."

"Well, listen -- don't you EVER throw yourself in front of a round for me again, you got that? Seeing those ER docs plugging you full of tubes and all that other junk didn't exactly make my day, Sweet Cheeks."

Ziva laughed, tossing back her long, curly black hair.

"It certainly did not make my day, either." Suddenly feeling incredibly sleepy, she tried stifling a yawn but was too slow.

"Past somebody's bedtime," Tony said, winking. "C'mon, Ninja Girl -- let's get you tucked in for the night."

"I suppose it is time we hit the stack," Ziva agreed, stretching, as Tony helped her rise from the sofa.

"Or something like that," he said, planting a tender kiss on her cheek.


	24. You Are My Joy Pt 1

Title: You Are My Joy Pt. 1  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's time. Tony and Ziva get married. Baby Sarah, Tony The Tiger and the NCIS Family are there, Eli included. But are they ready for the Attack of the Killer DiNozzos (and Paddingtons)?

**-------------------- You Are My Joy Pt. 1---------------------**

_[St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Washington D.C.]_

"DAMMIT, DiNOZZO! MAN UP! C'MON! QUIT ACTING LIKE ... LIKE... WELL, LIKE YOU!"

"Can't... BREATHE... Need... air... Room... spinning... Passing... out... now... Tell Sarah... Papa Tony... loves her... Hug... the tiger... for me, too... The light... Can you ... can you see the light?"

"THAT'S IT! I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOU, TONY!"

*Patented Gibbs Slap*

"OW! You want me to be CONSCIOUS for my own WEDDING, McSLAPHAPPY?!!!! And oh YEAH... ha-HAH! YOU'RE NOT GIBBS! Damn, Probie... that HURT!"

"Well, you needed it, Tony. Now don't make me do it again. It's time. So c'mon... let's go get married. I mean, 'let's' as in you and Ziva -- not ... 'let's' as in you and... me."

"Oh, you WISH you could get a hottie like me to say 'I do,' McBachelor. AND I KNOW WHAT YOU MEANT!"

"You two need more time alone or we ready to get this show on the road?"

"On it, Boss!"

"On your six!"

"Gah! GROWWWWL!"

"Yeah, I hear ya, Sarah. Actin' like babies, both of 'em. You tell 'em, Tiger."

-------------------------------------------

"Something old... something new... something borrowed... something black..."

"I believe it is supposed to be something blue, is it not, Abby?"

"Well, yeah, if you want your wedding to be all traditional and BORING! C'mon, Ziva! It's the BIG DAY! YOU are the one woman who has tamed the famous Anthony D. DiNOZZO! Do you KNOW how HUGE this is? Women the world over are taking down their little shrines to him! The last true confirmed bachelor has been CONQUERED! Blue isn't a strong enough COLOR for a day like this, Ziva! But BLACK -- black acknowledges this period of mourning for all the women who won't ever enjoy The DiNozzo Experience! It says you understand their pain, their sorrow, their..."

"... astonishing good fortune at NOT being the 'lucky woman' who has the thrilling task of laundering Tony's jockey shorts twice each week?"

"OK... yeah... that, too."

"Abby... have you heard from my father yet? He was delayed arriving from Tel Aviv but said he would be here for the ceremony -- both ceremonies."

"Awww... No, Big D -- I mean, your dad -- didn't check in yet, Ziva. But he's gonna be here. I promise."

-------------------------------------------

"Good afternoon, sir! Bride's side or groom's?" Jimmy Palmer, relishing his role as usher, cheerily quizzed the meaty man giving him a dark glare.

"Lissen, SPECS," the portly man replied in a thick New York accent, "just lemme park it wherever the Ant'ny DiNozzo people are, HUH?!!!" He snarled -- literally -- at Jimmy, who gulped with fear.

"Heh... Right this way," Jimmy said nervously. Smiling to cover his terror, he asked, "Are you one of Tony's relatives?" The man again gave him a fearsome look.

"You a COP or somethin', Four Eyes?" the man barked angrily. "I'm Ant'ny's Uncle Vincenzo from Lon-Gisland -- not dat anybody wants ta know or nuthin'. Right?"

"AHHHH! The butcher!" Jimmy said, smiling brightly.

"You kin be da first ta find out, Specs," Uncle Vincenzo grumbled as Jimmy showed him to a pew near the front of the church.

***

"I say, is this where the Anthony D. Paddington-DiNozzo nuptuals are taking place this fine afternoon, my good man?" A finely-dressed older man addressed Ducky, manning his post as usher at the other chapel entrance, graciously.

"Indeed it is, sir," Ducky replied, smiling. "You, eh, are with Anthony's side, I presume, then, yes?" Ducky adjusted his glasses.

"Most definitely," the man answered. "Clive Paddington," he said, extending a white-gloved hand to Ducky. "I am Anthony's uncle on his mother's side."

"Ah, yes!" Ducky said, "Anthony has spoken of you quite fondly before! Welcome, Mr. Paddington! Welcome! Please, let me show you to your seating!"

"You're a Scot, my good man! I was just in Edinburgh the week prior -- had a smashing time," Uncle Clive said to Ducky."

"Glad to hear it," Ducky replied. "It's been far too long since I myself was able to return home, although I hope to make the trip over sometime soon."

"Well, ring me when you're all set and we'll get in a round at St. Andrews!" Uncle Clive said, taking his seat in the pew next to Uncle Vincenzo.

"You're on, Paddington!" Ducky chuckled. "I've been working on my putting so I hope you're quite prepared!"


	25. You Are My Joy Pt 2

Title: You Are My Joy Pt. 2  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's time. Tony and Ziva get married. Baby Sarah, Tony The Tiger and the NCIS Family are there, Eli included. But are they ready for the Attack of the Killer DiNozzos (and Paddingtons)?

-------------------- **You Are My Joy Pt. 2** ---------------------

**[St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Washington D.C. -- at the altar]**

"Go Time, Probie. In an hour, I'm gonna be Mr. Ziva David."

"You mean she's going to be Mrs. Tony DiNozzo."

"No. We flipped for it. She got to choose."

"That's... weird."

"For crying out loud, McGee, she's a ninja! The fates were against me."

"This is going to be some kind of honeymoon for you two."

"She won that in our poker game. All I know is I'll be hanging naked from grappling hooks at some point."

"WAAAY too much information, Tony."

"I never shoulda bet her double or nothing."

-------------------------------------------

"BIG D! Where have you BEEN, man? Ziva's freakin' out!"

"Abby! Shalom, my dear! No worries -- I would miss my daughter's wedding? Never! Where is my Ziva?"

"OH! OH! OH! She's all ready to walk down the aisle and she looks SOOOOOO gorgeous!"

"May I say, Miss Sciuto, that you yourself look fantastic in that dress? Black is certainly your color."

"Miss Sciuto... Look who's Mr. Formality all of a sudden!"

"At the risk of being forward... I must ask: Would you do me the honor of being my date for the day -- Abby?"

"Why, Big D, I thought you'd never ask. You got it. Now c'mon -- time to take that Daddy-Stroll down that aisle, like, before we have to get to the Synagogue. For the other ceremony."

-------------------------------------------

In the chapel, Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger watched Ducky and Jimmy continue ushering in the guests from their perch atop Gibbs' strong shoulders. Director Vance, his wife and their two children sat up front. The director smiled at Tony, Tim and Gibbs. He offered Sarah a little wave and a wink. She giggled and waved back. Gibbs and Tim patted Tony on the back and Gibbs said, "Gotta go walk the walk, DiNozzo. See ya soon." Tony watched them leave and stood, alone, near the altar feeling on display before the assembled crowd.

Next to the Vance family, Uncle Vincenzo and Uncle Clive chatted about the state of the DiNozzo-Paddington clan's finances. Vincenzo told Clive the butcher business was doing well but he could always use a cash infusion. Clive pondered this, telling Vincenzo he'd been considering more American investments. A handshake sealed the deal. They'd tee off the next day and work out the details. Could Clive's new friend Dr. Mallard join? Of course, Vincenzo said, if his pal Jimmy could caddy.

Tony's eyes were fixed on the large wooden chapel doors. He was nervous at the prospect of finally becoming Ziva's husband but so excited he could hardly stand the waiting. His heart pounded so loud he wondered if everyone could hear it.

When the doors opened, three couples made their way down the aisle. First, Abby and Tim. Tony couldn't help but think they looked perfect together walking down the main aisle of a church. _You guys are next_, he thought, smiling. Then, Gibbs strolled down the aisle carrying Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger. Tony broke out into a huge grin at the sight of his gruff Boss tenderly walking his baby girl down the church aisle. _Someday that's gonna be me handing Sarah off to her own husband_, Tony thought.

And then Ziva appeared with Eli. Tony couldn't breathe at the sight of his bride, she was so lovely. In a sleek off-white dress, her dark hair pulled back from her face, the veil covering her curls, Ziva made her way slowly towards Tony. Eli beamed with pride. Abby wiped back tears from her Maid of Honor position. Gibbs got misty, too.

Eli presented Ziva to Tony, who barely heard the priest's words during the wedding ceremony because he was so struck by how beautiful Ziva looked. He felt as if he were there, in the chapel saying the words and performing the traditional rites, but also as if he were watching everything that happened before him. Before he knew it, Tony heard himself repeating the promises to love, honor and cherish Ziva forsaking all others in sickness and in health until death should part them. Then he heard her say the same. Rings were exchanged; he heard the priest pronounce them man and wife.

Only after Ziva's lips met his in a tender kiss did Tony come back to himself. Looking into her dark brown eyes, brimming with tears of joy, he realized that they were finally married. He was her husband; she his wife. Tony pulled her to him, forgetting that the entire chapel was watching, just holding her close. The guests clapped.

"I love you, Ziva. So much," Tony whispered in her ear as he held her.

"And I love you, Tony," Ziva whispered back. "My husband."

"I'm gonna like being Mr. Ziva David," Tony said softly before they turned to walk from the altar.

Ziva laughed.

"I hope so," she joked. "As much as I will enjoy being Mrs. Tony DiNozzo."


	26. You Are My Joy Pt 3

Title: You Are My Joy Pt. 3  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's time. Tony and Ziva get married. Baby Sarah, Tony The Tiger and the NCIS Family are there, Eli included. But are they ready for the Attack of the Killer DiNozzos (and Paddingtons)?

-------------------- **You Are My Joy Pt. 3** ---------------------  
**  
[in the limo, heading to the reception]**

When the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony at the Sixth & I Synagogue had concluded -- and Tony and Ziva were, once again, married -- it was time for the celebration to begin. The newlyweds piled into a long black limousine for the ride to their chosen reception area.

The rooftop of Tony's apartment building.

At first, when Ziva had suggested it to Tony, he'd been a little taken aback. Why have their reception on the old rooftop of his building? Didn't she want it someplace swanky like The Jefferson, where they'd had that fancy dinner with Jeanne and her husband Alberto? There were plenty of nice hotels in D.C. and Tony assured Ziva that nothing was too good for her -- whatever she wanted, he'd make it happen.

But she wanted the rooftop because it was where she and Tony had spent many evenings together simply talking or lying in folding chairs, looking up at the stars. And since Baby Sarah had come into their lives, it was where they took her on the rare occasions when she just couldn't sleep; the three of them would cuddle together, watch the stars and Sarah would calm down and rest. The view of Washington was magnificent, Ziva reminded Tony, and she didn't want or need anything expensive. She loved the small apartment -- once only his -- that had, in the past few months, become theirs and confessed that she couldn't imagine them starting their lives together anywhere else. Tony had smiled and kissed her then. It touched him, how Ziva savored the seemingly small, simple things in their lives. They'd have the rooftop reception and spend their wedding night at home in their own bed. Once he thought about it, the idea sounded perfect to Tony.

Inside the limo, Tony and Ziva collapsed into the back seat, exhausted from their twin Catholic and Jewish wedding ceremonies. It had been a long day and both were, honestly, ready for it to end. As much as they looked forward to their wedding night, they also looked forward to getting some rest. But they knew how important it was to offer their friends and family a night of fun since they'd been such good sports about attending two weddings in a day.

"Unnnnhhhh..." Tony moaned, closing his eyes as he half-lay, half-sat in the seat. "Sweet Cheeks, I'm beat. How you holdin' up?"

"I am hanging out there, my love," Ziva sighed, closing her eyes, too. She massaged her temples before resting her head on Tony's shoulder.

"Hangin' in there," Tony drowsily corrected. "If you were hangin' out there, we'd have all kinds of other problems, baby." He was met with a loud snore.

Just then, Tony was startled by a knock on the limousine window. Opening his eyes, he pressed the button to lower the window and saw Abby holding a sad-faced Baby Sarah, who clutched Tony The Tiger fiercely.

"Hey, Mr. Ziva David," Abby said, scrunching up her face into a half-smile, "She misses her Mommy and Daddy. Poor little pumpkin. She's so tired." Baby Sarah sighed, then yawned, then sighed again. It was all she could do to keep her little eyes open.

Tony opened the door. "Awwww... C'mere, Snugglemuffin," he cooed softly, taking Sarah (and Tony) from Abby. Cradling the baby in his arms, he winked at Abby. "Thanks, Aunt Abs. You get third dance at the reception, remember? After Ziva and this little Baby Tiger."

Abby winked back at him.

"Don't you even THINK of stiffin' me, DiNozzo! I just took some swing classes with the Sisters. And Sister Rosita says she wants a picture of you shakin' it so it is ON, Mister!" She closed the door, smiling brightly. Tony gulped. _What is it with Sister Rosita and my... spiritual assets?_ Tony thought.

Resting his head back against the seat cushion, Tony cradled Sarah against one shoulder as Ziva nestled against the other. Closing his eyes, he finally relaxed as he felt the limo's engine start and the vehicle start to slowly pull away.

As sleep took him, his final thought was of how lucky he was to have both his beautiful girls beside him now -- his baby Sarah, who would soon formally become his daughter, and his soulmate Ziva, who'd just become his wife. _Being a father and husband_, Tony thought dreamily, _this is pretty cool..._


	27. You Are My Joy Pt 4

Title: You Are My Joy Pt. 4  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's time. Tony and Ziva get married. Baby Sarah, Tony The Tiger and the NCIS Family are there, Eli included. But are they ready for the Attack of the Killer DiNozzos (and Paddingtons)?

-------------------- **You Are My Joy Pt. 4** ---------------------  
**  
[rooftop of Tony's apartment building - 3 a.m.]  
**  
Ducky's dogs lapped up the last of the leftover champagne spilled from the raucous reception that had wrapped up only an hour prior. The pair, already tipsy from having tested the spillage of numerous cocktails all night, bobbled and weaved as they made their way to where Ducky lay passed out in a deck chair, snoring. He'd graciously seen off Uncle Vincenzo and Uncle Clive Paddington earlier in the evening to their respective hotels

Jimmy Palmer, too, was conked out in a deck chair... with company. NCIS Special Agent Nikki Jardine, who'd accompanied Tony to Iraq once, snuggled with Jimmy, a puddle of her drool wetting his tuxedo shirt. They'd danced all night and finally hit the wall around 2 a.m. when Nikki had thrown caution -- and her special germ-killing dress gloves -- to the wind (literally), grabbed Jimmy with her bare hands and kissed him. Then he fainted. Now they were sound asleep. All in all, a good night.

-------------------------------------------

**[McGee's car]**

Abby, Tim and Gibbs had all gone home when the party broke up -- Gibbs heading home with Eli David in tow and Abby heading home with Tim. She felt guilty about how the evening had turned out and wanted to make things right with McGee.

"Timmy?" Abby said sheepishly on the drive home, "I swear I never expected your eye to end up matching my dress tonight. That? Totally wasn't in the plan." She screwed her face up and pouted, truly sad. "And... And you KNOW Big D didn't mean to punch your lights out. He was just jealous. I guess. I think. You think?"

"Eli David did NOT punch my lights out," Tim, whose right eye was swelling and turning purple and dark blue, muttered bitterly as he concentrated on the road. "He sucker-punched me."

"But you were looking right AT him," Abby pointed out. "How's that a sucker-punch?"

"BECAUSE I'M THE SUCKER WHO GOT PUNCHED BY A MAN OLD ENOUGH TO BE MY DAD, THAT'S HOW!" Tim yelled, his face red with anger and embarrassment. Abby reached over and pinched his cheek gently.

"Poor baby," she sighed. "Let's get you home and into a hot bath." Tim continued frowning, staring at the road. "And," Abby added in a sultry tone, "a warm coffin."

The car swerved for just a second before Tim righted it and sped up.

-------------------------------------------

**[Gibbs' kitchen]**

"I will apologize to Agent McGee first thing in the morning," Eli said, looking miserable as he spoke. "On my word, Special Agent Gibbs, I did not mean to strike him."

Gibbs pulled down a bottle of bourbon from his kitchen cabinet and plonked it on the table.

"It happens," he said, setting a glass before Eli. He poured his guest a tumbler-full before pouring himself a glass. Then he toasted Eli, who returned the gesture. The two men drank, sighed in unison and sat staring at the table for a quiet minute.

"Miss Sciuto was MY date, however, Special Agent..."

"Gibbs," Gibbs said quietly. "Gibbs is fine, Eli. We're first-name basis now."

Eli smiled and took another drink.

"Yes. This is true. Your Abigail is a most charming young woman. Wearing black to a wedding! I admire her ... individuality. It is indeed refreshing."

Gibbs laughed.

"Oh yeah, there's no one quite like Abs." He took a sip of bourbon. "You're real fond of her, huh?" His icy blue eyes sparkled with amusement. "She was your DATE, Eli?" He snickered into his drink.

"Absolutely," Eli said proudly. "I asked her before the first ceremony. She accepted. I thought Agent McGee understood that Miss Sciuto was spoken for."

Gibbs couldn't keep from laughing. This was all too much.

"You got a CRUSH on Abby, Eli," Gibbs said, a broad smile breaking out across his face. Shaking his head, he took another sip of bourbon. Eli quickly took a drink himself and frowned, fumbling with his glass.

"That is ridiculous," he said dismissively. "I am old enough to be her father. I simply... admire her. That is all."

"Whatever ya say, Big Guy," Gibbs laughed, pouring them both another drink. Then he gave Eli a serious look. "Think Ziva's gonna be OK with havin' a stepmom who sleeps in a coffin?"

"You, my friend," Eli said, pointing his glass at Gibbs, "are entering dangerous territory."

Gibbs smiled, laughed again and took a sip of his fresh bourbon.

-------------------------------------------

**[Tony & Ziva's apartment]**

It had been about an hour since Tony and Ziva said goodbye to their reception guests and made their getaway down to their apartment.

But it wasn't the usual wedding night getaway.

Tony first carried Baby Sarah down to her nursery, putting her in her crib. She was sound asleep, grasping Tony The Tiger, before they left the rooftop and as eager as Tony was to hurry back upstairs to Ziva, who awaited him, he took a minute to caress Sarah's fine hair and whisper how much he loved her. He was excited at the thought of finally becoming Sarah's father, legally.

Making a quiet exit from the nursery, Tony bolted for the rooftop. At the sight of Ziva, looking radiant in the moonlight, he stopped and stared, unable to move or speak. So she came to him.

"Tony, you are shaking," Ziva said as she stroked his cheek. "Are you alright?" Her dark eyes searched his face. She worried that he was exhausted from the long day, that Tony might be feeling weak but pretending he was still able to go strong. Although Ziva hadn't known Tony when he'd contracted plague and nearly died, she knew his lungs were permanently scarred from the illness and, privately, she was always concerned about Tony's health. He would never admit feeling ill.

"I'm fine," he whispered finally. "I was just looking at you. You look beautiful, honey." He smiled bashfully.

"We should ... check on Sarah," Ziva said softly.

"Yeah," Tony agreed. "Let's do that."

***

"Ohhhh... Ziiiiiv-aaaaahhhh..." Tony moaned as Ziva's hands strayed below his waist. "Right there... Ahhhhh... Harder... Ohhhh yeaaahhh... Harder, baby, HARDER... Uhhhhh... Don't stop... Please... Mmmmm... Yeaaahhh... Faster, Sweet Cheeks... Faster... Ooooohhh... Ahhhhh..."

Ziva sat up, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, panting from her efforts.

"Tony," she said breathlessly, "you are STILL in pain? I have been massaging your back for an hour. I believe you should feel better now."

Tony whimpered from his position on the bed -- flat on his stomach -- as Ziva unstraddled him.

"No... I DON'T feel better. Can't you see I'm in AGONY?!!! Damn Abby and her swing dance lessons. I knew I shouldn't have let her dip me that fifth time." He let out a little whine, pleading, "C'mon... just one more back rub, Lamb Chop? You swore to care for me in SICKNESS, y'know... And I'm a really sick man."

"You do not have to tell me," Ziva muttered under her breath as she rolled her eyes and repositioned herself atop Tony to massage him again. Tony closed his eyes, grinning like a Cheshire Cat, and let his tongue hang out as Ziva's hands worked the stiff muscles of his lower back.

"Ahhhhh... Yeah baby... Daddy likey..." Tony groaned, giggling with pleasure.

"You are pleased, my love?" Ziva purred, digging her fingers harder into his back.

"Ohhhhhh GOD yes!" Tony cried. The massage felt so good that he was getting turned on. "GOD... YESSSSS... NOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! ZEEEEEEE-VAAAAAAAAAA!"

"Darling," Ziva whispered, leaning forward to speak into Tony's ear, "is something wrong?"

"PAIN... STOP... YOU... KILLING... ME..." Tony choked the words. "NO... MORE... PLEASE..." He winced and shuddered as Ziva dug her nails into his skin.

"Let me guess," she hissed mockingly, "Daddy no likey?"

"Daddy... SORRY..." Tony whimpered. Ziva stopped the "massage" and slapped her hands together in an "all finished" manner.

"I will go make certain Sarah is still asleep," Ziva said briskly. "When I return, perhaps we may begin our wedding night -- if 'Daddy likey' the idea." She headed for the bedroom door, shooting Tony a sly look over her shoulder.

"Ohhhh... Daddy likey," Tony moaned softly, rolling over onto his back. He closed his eyes again, imagining what else his new bride might have in store for him as the night wore on. "Daddy ACHY... but Daddy LIKEY."


	28. Baby Girl

Title: Baby Girl  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Before the honeymoon can begin, Tony and Ziva have something important to take care of.

**-------------------- Baby Girl ---------------------**

"Do I look OK?" Tony asked, checking out his reflection in the bedroom mirror. "This tie go with this suit, you think? How 'bout this one? This one? Whaddaya think of this one? Ahhhh! NONE of these work!" He threw each successive tie onto the bed, unsatisfied with everything he owned.

Baby Sarah hugged Tony The Tiger closer to her and yawned. She stared up at Tony from where she sat on the bed. One of Tony's discarded ties draped her little tousled head and she watched him, confused, as he continued pacing in front of the mirror.

"Maybe I oughta skip the tie -- just go casual, huh? I can pull that off no problem." Tony turned around to face Baby Sarah, flashing her a dazzling grin. "How YOU doin'? Huh? HUH? Ha HAH! Yeeeeeah! Go DADDY!" Baby Sarah shook her head. "No? Aw, c'mon Snugglepumpkin! I'm runnin' outta options here!"

Suddenly, a maroon and cream striped tie sailed across the room, smacking Tony square in the face. Baby Sarah squealed with delight.

"This will do," Ziva said, bumping Tony out from in front of the mirror so she could take a look at her own outfit for the day, a demure off-white dress she'd chosen specifically because it looked pretty but also modest. Tony snarled at her, jockeying for prime mirror-front position as he tried the tie with his dark blue suit.

"Why THANK you, Sweet Cheeks," Tony snarked, making a face as he worked the knot of the tie. "Usually, you're finding ways to get me outta my clothes but hey -- turns out you're pretty good at helpin' me get 'em on, too. Heh..." Ziva shot him a sly look.

"Little pitchers have big spears," Ziva said, nodding towards Baby Sarah, who was tying three of Tony's other ties crazily around Tony The Tiger's neck.

"Ears, my bride," Tony corrected. "Pitchers, no matter their size, don't have spears. They have ears." Ziva frowned, then sighed. She was sure she'd gotten that one right. "So," Tony said, turning to face Ziva as he straightened his tie, "do I look MAH-veh-lous?" Closing his eyes, he smiled broadly.

"You do," Ziva answered, brushing some lint off his shoulders. "Now let us get THIS one ready for her big day." Turning to Sarah, Ziva lifted the infant into her arms. Sarah showed her Tony The Tiger in his many colorful ties and Ziva gave him a little kiss on his fuzzy forehead. Meanwhile, Tony, who'd been angling for more of a compliment from his wife, stood watching the scene, his arms folded over his chest.

"Yeah, well... he looks OK but I don't think he could pull off THESE!" Tony stuck out his fists, brandishing his French cuffs. "Ha HAH! Top THAT, Tiger!" Ziva and Baby Sarah stared at him, then headed for the nursery. "Well, he COULDN'T!" Tony called out after them. "Oh yeah, WHO'S the man? That's ALL you, Good Lookin'," he said to himself quietly, mugging for his own reflection in the mirror as he smoothed his hair on the sides for the seventh time that morning.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Tony, you are nervous," Ziva said casually, flipping through a magazine as she, Tony, Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger sat on a waiting room sofa. Tony gently bounced Sarah on his knee.

"Nah, I'm just excited," Tony replied, his green eyes bright and wide. "I'm gonna be a dad in..." he looked down at his watch, "... exactly four minutes and twenty-nine seconds. I mean, it'll be longer than that 'cause we gotta look over the papers and sign 'em and all that kind of stuff but it's all gonna get started in ..." he looked at the watch again, "... four minutes and SIX seconds." Ziva smiled tenderly and patted the knee Tony wasn't bouncing Sarah on.

"I am excited, too," Ziva said. Sarah reached out for her and Ziva took her from Tony. "I did not think I would ever become a mother." Tony looked at her quizzically.

"Really?" he asked. "Why? Honey, you're beautiful. Any man would wanna have babies with you." Tony frowned. "But don't ... do... that. Because I don't want any man having babies with you. Except me."

"Yes," Ziva grinned, "I believe that is one reason we got married." Baby Sarah bopped Tony on the head lovingly with Tony The Tiger. Tony grimaced and growled back at his striped toy namesake.

"Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo?" the adoption attorney's secretary said, entering the waiting room from the attorney's office, "Mrs. Alexander will see you now."

Tony and Ziva looked at each other, then at Baby Sarah, then back at each other and took a deep breath in unison. They rose from the couch and, Tony taking Ziva's arm, he shepherded his family towards the office.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Whaddaya think, huh? We missin' anything? Formula... bottles... blanky... paci... diapers... wipes... Butt Paste..."

Baby Sarah stared at Tony from her place on the bed. Tony The Tiger sat next to her, a pair of Tony's sunglasses crookedly propped on his fuzzy nose.

"... diaper BAG ... fold-up baby bed ... emergency phone numbers ... EXTRA formula - 'cause you eat like a champ, kid ... extra jammies ... "

Sarah clapped her hands with joy, watching Tony load up his DaddyPack.

"EXTRA blanky... and TONY The TIGER! Oh yeah -- no way we could go on our family honeymoon without Mister Stripeypants here."

Sarah squeaked, kicking happily as she grabbed Tony The Tiger and screamed "TAH!"

Tony jumped onto the bed next to Sarah, hoisting her up into the air. He gave her a loud raspberry on her tummy and she laughed.

"Ohhhh-kaaay... Shhhh... Calm down, Daddy's Little Ninja," Tony cooed soothingly, cradling Baby Sarah against his chest as she giggled uncontrollably. "Settle down, sweet girl..." Sarah relaxed, her giggles lessening as she snuggled with Tony. Ziva, who'd been quietly watching by the door, joined them on the bed.

"Our little girl is all packed for her big trip, I see," Ziva said, giving Tony a soft kiss as Sarah scooted over across Tony's chest towards her. "Are you excited about going on the plane with Mama and Papa?" Taking Sarah in her arms, Ziva hugged her infant daughter gently to her. Sarah patted Ziva's cheek and planted a sweet kiss on her lips. Tony propped himself up on one arm, staring down at his wife and baby. He was beside himself with happiness. Noticing the look on his face, Ziva asked, "And what has you grinning like the Cheshire Cat, my little hairy bear?" Tony raised an eyebrow at Ziva, smiling.

"Cheshire Cat," he said, "You nailed it, Sweet Cheeks! I'm impressed!" Then, stroking Ziva's hair, he continued, "I'm just thinking that this is our first-ever vacation... as a family. You know how you said you thought you'd never be a mom? Hey... now you're a mom! Well, I thought I'd never have a family of my own. And now I do -- I've got a wife and a baby girl."

"And a tiger," Ziva said, offering her husband a sly grin.

"Look, I never said we were a _normal_ family," Tony laughed, handing Tony The Tiger to Sarah before giving her -- and her new mother -- kisses.


	29. The Lonely Bull

Title: The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro)  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony, Ziva, Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger are on their family honeymoon in Mexico. But a visit to Uncle Mike gets Tony's hackles up.  
**  
-------------------- The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro) ---------------------**

"Ahhhh... MAY-hee-co!" Tony sighed, closing his eyes as he stretched out on the king-sized hotel bed. "Land of sun, surf and seeeeen-yo-reeee-tahs. Yo soy muy happy."

"You do not know the Spanish word for 'happy,' Tony?" Ziva asked. "You seem to understand 'senoritas' quite well." She continued unpacking her suitcase, putting various clothes in the wooden dresser. Tony rolled over onto his stomach, his green eyes focusing on his new wife's backside as she moved from the drawer to the bed.

"Aw, Sweet Cheeks, you know I'm just kidding. You're the only _chica_ for me."

From where she was playing in her playpen, Baby Sarah suddenly stood up and yelled out "DAH!'

"OK, you too, Snugglepumpkin."

Baby Sarah clapped her hands excitedly and squeaked with glee. Ziva winked at her.

"She only has eyes for you, my love," Ziva said with a smile. "Truly a daddy's girl." Sarah grinned at her mother and then sat back down in her playpen, where she and Tony The Tiger were having a tea party.

"Yeah, well..." Tony shrugged. "It's the DiNozzo Charm. We're irresistible. Women are powerless to fight us."

"Reeeeally?" Ziva purred, snapping her suitcase shut. "Would you like to test out that theory?" Tony rolled to the edge of the bed, sitting up as Ziva walked over to sit beside him. She shot him a sly look, her dark eyes smoldering.

"Yes, I would," Tony said, pulling Ziva into a heated kiss.

"All right, then," Ziva gasped as Tony's lips moved to her neck. "I admit that... you are right."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I do not understand," Ziva said, squinting into the sunlight. "This is the address he gave me."

"WHAT address?" Tony asked, frowning. From behind his mirrored sunglasses he rolled his eyes at the sight of the shack before him. Baby Sarah sat on his shoulders, adjusting her tiny sombrero. Tony The Tiger hung from the belt loop of Tony's khaki shorts, tethered by a carabiner safely attached to the tag on his stripey rear end. "You try putting any street numbers on this casa and the whole contraption will fall in." He grimaced and wrinkled his nose.

"YOU SAYIN' I AIN'T A MASTER CARPENTER, PROBIE JUNIOR?" The sharp voice startled Tony, who jumped slightly. Baby Sarah's sombrero fell over her eyes. "HIYA, GORGEOUS! AND I AIN'T TALKIN' ABOUT YOU, DiNOZZO!" Ziva grinned.

"Hello, Mike," Ziva said, turning to greet Mike Franks. She hugged him tightly. "It is SO good to see you! How ARE you? You look wonderful."

"That Mossad trainin' is really somethin'," Mike laughed. "You're the best liar I ever met besides me!" He took a long look at Ziva, then scoped out Tony. "Ziva David, you're lookin' mighty fine indeed. Why you hangin' out with this pretty boy?" Tony snarled.

"Tony and I have news, Mike," Ziva started.

"And the NEWS, Mikey," Tony broke in, with a mock laugh, "is that Ziva and I are MARRIED! Yeah, that's right -- took the plunge, made it official, turned the old NCIS partnership into something permanent. She's Ziva David-DiNOZZO now."

"Well, HELL, honey, I thought you had more brains 'n' THAT!" Mike joked, winking at Ziva. She snickered, covering her mouth so Tony, who snarled in Mike's direction, couldn't see. "Were ya DRUNK ' r' somethin'? Go BLIND temporarily?"

"We're in LOVE, dammit!" Tony barked, now truly angry. Baby Sarah clapped her tiny hands over her ears.

"Yes," Ziva agreed, taking Tony's arm in hers. She kissed him gently on the cheek. "I was not acting stupidly or drinking or temporarily blinded, Mike. I had complete control of my faculties when Tony and I were married. We are in love... dammit."

"And what's this lil' sugarplum gotta say about all that?" Mike reached up to tip back Baby Sarah's sombrero, which had fallen over her eyes. She giggled.

"She's for it," Tony said snippily. "That's our baby girl."

"Your baby girl got a name? Or will 'Cutie Pie' do?" Mike winked at Baby Sarah, who blushed and giggled again.

"Her name is Sarah," Ziva said. "Tony and I have adopted her. She is our daughter."

"Well, well... Sarah, huh? Probie been spoilin' her?" Mike stuck his tongue out at Baby Sarah, who returned the gesture.

"Lots," Tony said. "More than Abby, even."

"Sounds like Uncle Mike's got a lotta catchin' up to do, then." Mike said with a sly grin. "C'mon, ladies, vaminos! That means you, too, DiNozzo." Baby Sarah reached out for Mike, who lifted her off Tony's shoulders. She squeaked with excitement as Mike hoisted her onto his shoulders and began crooning an old Mexican folk song. He then offered Ziva his arm and they began walking towards Tony and Ziva's rental car.

Tony crossed his arms, furious, and watched "Uncle" Mike stroll off with Ziva and Sarah.

Some honeymoon, he thought jealously before slowly moving to follow the trio.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the beach that evening, Baby Sarah cuddled with Tony The Tiger on the family's large beach blanket while Ziva relaxed next to her in a deck chair, admiring the sunset and the ocean. Tony sat far off down the shore by himself on an overturned boat, staring off into the distance. Ziva craned her neck, looking for him. She'd noticed he hadn't said much all afternoon. As the last light of day faded, she bundled up Sarah and Tony Tiger in the blanket and walked down to where her husband sat alone.

"It was a lovely sunset, was it not? I believe the only thing that might have made it even more incredible would have been for the three of us to have watched it together," Ziva said gently. She offered Tony a tender smile. He continued staring at the horizon, seemingly ignoring her. Baby Sarah yawned and snuggled against Ziva's shoulder. "Tony," Ziva said, caressing his arm, "please talk to me."

"Why?" Tony said petulantly, still not looking at Ziva. "You weren't interested in hearing anything I had to say all day when Uncle Mikey was around." He stood suddenly and began to stalk off down the beach. Ziva pursed her lips, sighed, hoisted Sarah and followed after him.

"That is not true," Ziva countered angrily. "You took yourself out of the conversation and decided to sulk -- just as you are doing right now! Our daughter has shown more maturity than you, Tony. We have both known Mike for a long time. By now, his personality should be no mystery to you. In fact, you are like him in many ways. I suspect that is exactly why you claim not to like him!"

Tony whirled around, furious.

"WRONG, my DARLING! I don't LIKE him because the guy was HITTING on you ALL DAMN DAY!" Tony slapped the side of his head in a mocking gesture. "Oh, um... hmmmmmm... Ha HAH! Hang on a minute... Lemme see if I got it STRAIGHT... OH YEAH! WE'RE MARRIED NOW!" He marched over to where Ziva stood, red-faced with anger. "The way I remember this whole 'marriage' thing? We vowed to love, honor and cherish -- NOT flirt with old wanna-be banditos Down Mexico Way on our HONEYMOON!"

"I was NOT FLIRTING with him, Tony!" Ziva, now herself irate, yelled back. "I was merely being friendly! I LOVE YOU! You are my HUSBAND! Are you SO INSECURE about our relationship -- about our marriage -- that you think I would dare to..."

A loud wail from the small blanketed bundle at Ziva's shoulder stopped both Tony and Ziva cold. Baby Sarah, her eyes red with tears, screamed in fear at what was happening around her. She clapped her little hands to her tiny ears, trying to turn away from her parents, kicking to escape Ziva's arms.

"Sarah... Oh, sweetheart," Ziva said softly, ashamed of how she'd upset her baby, "please... please don't cry. It's OK." She tried to pull Sarah closer to her but Sarah screamed that much louder and kicked even more furiously, trying to get down. Finally, Ziva carefully set the blanket down on the beach, spreading it out. Sarah lay down, turning over into a little ball as she sobbed. Ziva, too, began to cry. Tony felt sick to his stomach at the sight of his baby daughter and new wife in tears. He sat down beside Ziva on the blanket, tentatively putting his arm around her shaking shoulders. She shook him off at first, but he persisted in trying to hold her and she finally let him.

"Baby, I'm sorry," Tony whispered, his breath soft in Ziva's ear. "Oh, honey, I'm so, so sorry. What am I saying, huh? I love you... I love you so much... Please forgive me... Please..." He held Ziva close against him, rocking her slowly as she tried to stop crying. "I'm such an idiot," he said quietly.

"Tony," Ziva said, catching her breath as she looked him right in the face, her dark brown eyes red and puffy, "you are NOT an idiot! Jealous, yes. But an idiot, no. And I am sorry, too -- for showing Mike so much attention. It is our honeymoon, after all. I was wrong. I love you. Only you."

"Aw, I know that," Tony sighed, "I'm just REAL jealous. I don't like to share." His face brightened suddenly, his green eyes sparkling. "Look, let's invite Mike to dinner tomorrow and I'll make it right with him. He's a good guy; just likes bustin' my chops -- like me with McGee." Tony nodded towards Sarah, who was still curled into a tiny ball, sniffling. "Think our little tiger over there will forgive me? For yelling at you and getting everyone crying?" Tony looked down glumly. Ziva gave him a little kiss.

"She will need to forgive me, too," Ziva said. "I upset her as well."

Tony kissed Ziva back and made his way to the other side of the blanket. He lay down next to Sarah and said nothing but looked sad. Ziva also lay down at Sarah's back, stroking her hair. Baby Sarah cuddled with Tony The Tiger and sighed. Sniffling a few times, she finally looked up at Tony and softly said "Da-Da." Tony stuck out his lips in a sad pout and said "Daddy's sorry, Snugglepumpkin." Sarah handed him Tony The Tiger, who got a little kiss on his fuzzy forehead, and Baby Sarah smiled. Then she turned over to Ziva and gave her mother a big kiss on the cheek, followed by a hug. Ziva hugged her back and said "Mama is sorry, too, my little angel." Sarah repeated "Mama" and clutched her mother tightly. Tony grinned at them. Ziva nodded to him and he joined in the family hug. Baby Sarah laughed as Tony smooched her little neck.

"Gettin' chilly out here, huh?" Tony said softly. "Maybe we better head back inside."

"Yes," Ziva agreed. "I believe it is already past someone's bedtime." She winked, her eyes moving in Sarah's direction.

"Well, sure," Tony replied, helping Ziva up as he took Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger in his arms, "and the baby's sleepy, too." Ziva laughed as she wrapped Sarah back in the blanket and her husband slid his free arm around her slim waist. Together, the family slowly strolled up the darkened beach towards their hotel, the day behind them and the night awaiting.


	30. Pink Moon

Title: Pink Moon  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: In a quiet personal moment, Tony reflects on how lucky he is to be a husband and father.

**-------------------- Pink Moon ---------------------**

Having already looked in on Baby Sarah, who was sleeping soundly in her travel crib in the living room area of the hotel honeymoon suite, Tony quietly made his way back to the master bedroom. Ziva, too, lay still and silent, her long black hair strewn across both the pillow and her smooth bare back. Pulling off his boxers, Tony carefully slipped back into the bed next to Ziva, turning on his side to gaze down at her as she slept.

It took his green eyes a few seconds to adjust to the moonlight illuminating the room. The pale rays made Ziva's normally olive skin seem milky. A slight smile played at the corner of Tony's mouth. He loved watching Ziva sleep. He had since the first night they'd ever spent together, the time Jenny sent them undercover as a married couple at that fancy D.C. hotel. Back then, Ziva used to snore like -- how did he put it? -- a drunken sailor. Tony smiled, remembering that little episode. His eyes moved to Ziva's hand, tucked as always beneath her pillow. _Heh heh... Yeah_, Tony thought, _even on our honeymoon she's got the gun ready. You can take the girl outta Mossad and put a wedding ring on her finger but you can't take Mossad and that itchy TRIGGER finger outta the girl._

But this was one of the too-numerous-to-list things he loved about Ziva. Everything about her charmed him, even the things that annoyed the hell out of him. Like that loud snoring way back when. It drove him crazy that first night and then again whenever they'd have to stay at a safehouse with some witness. Or when Gibbs sent them on a late-night stakeout and they'd sleep in shifts in the car. Ziva snoring in a bedroom was one thing; her snoring in a car was something entirely different. When they'd started seeing each other, though, the snoring stopped. Tony joked that it was because he was so good between the sheets that she didn't have enough energy left to snore. _Well_, he thought, _she didn't say I was wrong._

Now he thought back to the fight they'd had earlier that evening on the beach. _Damn, that was silly_, Tony mused. _Ziva flirting? On our honeymoon? With MIKE? Good one, Tony._ The argument had caused Sarah to break down in tears, which set Ziva crying. Seeing his girls upset because he'd been acting jealous and immature broke Tony's heart. _You gotta cut stuff like that out_, he told himself now. _It's not just about you anymore._

Ziva sighed and, still dreaming, turned over towards Tony. He tenderly touched the warm, bare skin of her arm, cherishing just the feel of her. It was their honeymoon and they'd already spent an intimate evening together after getting Sarah to sleep but Tony now was content simply to lie next to his wife, satisfied in the knowledge that when he finally drifted off to sleep again himself she'd be right there beside him in the morning.

And one room over, his baby daughter would be bright-eyed and eager to enjoy another day with her Mommy and Daddy. Ziva was such a wonderful mother to Sarah -- she had been from the minute she'd found the then-newborn lying in a shabby crib near her dead birth mother's body at an NCIS crime scene -- and Tony had secretly doubted if he could measure up as a father to the baby girl. Strangely, it had been easy -- as easy as finally letting himself admit he was in love with Ziva had been -- and now he couldn't imagine his life (or his life with Ziva) without Baby Sarah in it. Even their friends had worried that they were taking on too much too soon perhaps -- starting a serious relationship while trying to balance their romance with their work and then caring for a baby at the same time. Ziva would die to protect Sarah, Tony knew, and so would he. _That's our baby girl_, he thought. _To hell with blood. She's ours._ He sighed deeply, suddenly feeling an odd mix of protectiveness, pride and fear of losing Sarah all well up in him at once.

Shivering slightly, Tony snuggled down into the covers. Ziva unconsciously wrapped her arm around him, pulling herself against him. He shuddered at her touch. He always missed her, even when she was right next to him.

"Tony," Ziva whispered drowsily, "you are cold. Come to me."

"I will," he whispered back, "but I gotta do something first. Be right back."

Getting up from the bed, Tony slipped back into his boxers and padded across the bedroom on his way to the living room area. Gently, he lifted Baby Sarah up into his arms, plucking Tony The Tiger from the crib as well, and carried the sleeping infant to the bed. Ziva, who'd put on her short nightgown, awaited them in the giant master bed.

As Tony lovingly placed their daughter between them in the bed, Ziva caressed the baby's soft hair. Sarah kicked out her right foot and yawned, smacking her little lips, but slept on as her parents enjoyed tender kisses, whispering their shared dreams and desires into the early morning hours.

Finally drifting off much later, Tony's last thoughts were of his wife and child, both cuddled beside him in their warm bed. _Now I guess_, Tony thought as sleep overtook him, _we just gotta get a dog..._


	31. Hold That Tiger

Title: Hold That Tiger  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony, Ziva, Baby Sarah and... Tony The Tiger enjoy quality family time on their honeymoon.  
**  
-------------------- Hold That Tiger ---------------------**

Tony huffed and puffed as Ziva, with Baby Sarah strapped to her back in a special GoMommy pack, strode easily and quickly up the mountain trail. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Tony stopped to catch his breath and take a short break. Far ahead, Baby Sarah called "Da-Da!" back at him and waved Tony The Tiger gleefully in his direction. He turned his eyes heavenward, silently praying that Ziva would get just a little bit tired. He was already worn out and they'd only been hiking for an hour -- but at the inhuman pace Ziva saw as "normal."

"Is the scenery not lovely, Tony?" Ziva asked as she bounded along the trail. "I have always found it amazing how the peoples of the world manage to survive in such varying climates. For instance, Israel is mostly desert and yet has supported..." She looked back to see... nobody behind her. "Tony? Tony?" Ziva knitted her brow, confused. "That is odd. He was just here." Backtracking down the trail, she found her husband lying on a large rock next to the path, panting for air.

"H-H-Hey... there... Sweet... Cheeks," Tony gasped. "Just... takin'... little... break..." Ziva undid the GoMommy pack, taking Sarah out so the baby could sit on her lap. Baby Sarah began softly bonking Tony on his tummy with Tony The Tiger. Her father grimaced, gently taking the toy from his infant daughter. She stared for a second, then turned to Ziva, who gave her a small bottle of water. Sarah took it, wrapped her tiny lips around it and drank contentedly.

"You are exhausted and we have only been hiking less than an hour," Ziva said, staring at Tony in disbelief. "When we return home, I am getting rid of all your snacks." Tony's eyes went wide in shock and horror. "Oh yes," Ziva reiterated, shooting him a hard look. "I am going to rip you into shape when our honeymoon is over."

"Whip," Tony wheezed. "It's... WHIP... me... into... shape..." He paused and, turning on his side, slipped Tony The Tiger under his head as an impromptu pillow. "Ahhhhh..." Tony groaned with pleasure, closing his eyes. He grinned, sticking out his tongue like a panting dog.

Baby Sarah, seeing Tony The Tiger used in such a manner, pulled the bottle from her mouth and hollered. Ziva yanked the toy out from under Tony's head, which made a slight "THONK" noise as it hit the rock below, and Tony's eyes yet again popped wide open as he frowned in surprise and pain. Ziva handed Tony The Tiger to Baby Sarah, who hugged him tightly to her little chest. Tony lay on the rock, glaring up at Ziva. After a minute or two of stunned silence, he snarled at her.

"Was... that... NECESSARY... Sugar... Plum?" Tony growled, gnashing his teeth at Ziva as he slowly picked himself up off the rock.

"Sarah was not happy to see you treating Tony that way, Tony," Ziva casually replied. She took a green apple from a pocket of the GoMommy pack and, after showing it to Sarah, whipped out the giant knife she always carried strapped to her leg and began to slowly peel away the green skin in one long continuous strip. Baby Sarah giggled. Tony, who had finally caught his breath, rubbed the side of his head that had hit the rock. Pouting a bit, he gingerly hoisted Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger into his lap as Ziva peeled the apple. Baby Sarah looked up at him, frowning.

"What's that look for, Snugglepumpkin?" Tony asked, looking down at Baby Sarah. "You still mad at Daddy?" Baby Sarah hid her face in Tony The Tiger's fuzzy chest so her father couldn't see her. "Awww..." Tony whined, "... c'mon, Lamb Kisses! Daddy's sorry. Please don't be mad at Daddy? Pleeeeease?" He gave her a little kiss on the top of her tousled curls. Ziva watched the scene, touched.

"Sarah," Ziva said, "be sweet to Papa." Sarah peeped out from behind Tony The Tiger's fuzzy orange and black back at her mother. Ziva winked at her and Sarah giggled. "Tony," Ziva said, carefully slicing the apple, "I think you will have to make amends with another member of our family before Sarah will be ready to play again." She nodded at Tony The Tiger. Tony rolled his eyes. "Perhaps you should also apologize to Tony, Tony... and give him a kiss as well?" Tony made a "No WAY" face at Ziva.

"Ha ha HAH!" Tony fake-laughed, snarling at Ziva from behind Baby Sarah's back. "Kiss... HIM?" Baby Sarah peeked up at her father, who caught her looking, and said "Da-Da?" sweetly. Tony sighed. "Oh, OK... fork Mister Stripeypants over here, Little Miss Giggles!" Sarah lifted Tony The Tiger up and Tony took him in one hand, bringing him to eye level so he could address him properly:

"Tony, it's Tony. I'm sorry I used you as my Mexican jungle pillow. It was disrespectful and probably really REALLY uncomfortable for you, having my giant head on top of your stripes." Baby Sarah continued staring solemnly at her father as he apologized to her best friend. "You're a valued member of our family and we all love you. Please forgive me?" Tony then sighed again, looked up towards the sky with a slightly pained expression and gave Tony The Tiger a big wet kiss right on his fuzzy forehead. Baby Sarah laughed and clapped. Ziva snickered and Tony growled at her.

Handing Tony The Tiger back to Baby Sarah, Tony leaned down and beamed from ear to ear as his baby girl planted a little kiss on his cheek. Tony lifted her into his arms and she snuggled with him, cooing "Da-Da" off and on as she lay her head on his shoulder. Gently, she tapped Tony The Tiger against Tony's chest.

Ziva gave Baby Sarah a piece of apple, which she munched eagerly. She then leaned over to her husband, offering him a slice of the fresh apple. Seeing that Tony's hands were full, she nodded at him, he opened his mouth and she placed a sliver of the fruit between his teeth, cool and tart, for him to enjoy. At last taking a slice for herself, she relished the lush scenery surrounding them -- the quiet on the walking trail and the knowledge that they were in no big rush to get to where they were going.


	32. Jealous Guy

Title: Jealous Guy  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva watch Baby Sarah sleep and Tony admits he's jealous of Gibbs.

**-------------------- Jealous Guy ---------------------**

After a day of playing in the surf and building sand castles with her parents, Baby Sarah snoozed on her favorite beach towel in the shade of a palm tree as a cooling breeze blew in off the ocean. Tony The Tiger, wearing Sarah's tiny pink Hello Kitty sunglasses, lay at her side.

"Look at her, Z," Tony murmured in Ziva's ear as he held her in his arms, her back to his chest. "She can sleep anywhere, anytime. The kid's got talent. She's... SuperBaby!" He nuzzled his wife's neck, planting a hot, wet kiss on her olive skin. Ziva adjusted her sunglasses and smiled at her sleeping baby daughter.

"Our little princess is sleeping like a dog, that is for certain," Ziva replied. "She is adorable."

"A _log_, my bride," Tony softly corrected. "Sleeping like a log."

"But logs do not sleep, Tony," Ziva countered. "And dogs do. It does not make sense to say someone sleeps like a log."

"Yeah, but see, the thing is, logs just lie there and they don't move. So it's like they're sleeping." Tony sniffed Ziva's skin, thrilling to the scent of suntan lotion mingled with what remained of her perfume from the night before.

"Then why not say that she is sleeping like a bump on a frog?" Ziva asked. "Those do not move, either." Tony peppered Ziva's bare shoulder with little kisses. He loved that she was wearing the famed Black Bikini.

"Well... no, Sweet Cheeks, but that doesn't even make... aw, forget it. Maybe she does sleep like a dog." Tony chuckled. "She sure kicks like one when she's dreamin'." Baby Sarah's strong little right leg kicked out a few times, then went still again. "Whaddaya think she's dreamin' about right now, huh? Bunnies? Puppies? Ponies? Baby Ninja Turtles? I'd put money on the Ninja Turtles. She's probably layin' the smackdown on 'em right now. Heh heh heh..."

"I would ask what a Ninja Turtle is but something tells me I do not really want to know," Ziva joked. "Perhaps Sarah and her Tony are on a jungle trek -- playing with giraffes and elephants. She loves her animals so much. Maybe when she grows up she will become a zoologist."

"Wouldn't the tiger eat the giraffes and elephants?" Tony frowned, considering what Ziva had said. Shrugging his shoulders, he kissed Ziva's neck again. "We gotta get Sarah a giraffe," Tony mused. "Somethin' gentle. All she's got are lions and tigers now."

"She has her elephant nightlight," Ziva said.

"Yeah, but she can't play with him. He's a lightbulb. Just hangs out in the nursery." Tony pulled Ziva even closer to him. "Yep, time to upgrade the family zoo."

"We should get her something to remind her of her honeymoon trip to Mexico someday when she is older -- something we can tell her about," Ziva agreed. She stroked the top of Tony's thighs, sending a shiver through his body. "Sarah does not have a monkey."

"The Boss said she does," Tony growled.

"I do not understand," Ziva replied, knitting her brow.

"Remember when he kept her that time we went out on our date night a month back? I went to pick Sarah up and I had to scratch my back and when he opened the door I was right in the middle of a really good scratch and he looked at me and Sarah laughed and Gibbs said 'Yeah, I know, Sarah -- your daddy looks like a silly monkey... but he looks like that _all_ the time.' And she just kept on laughin', all the way home in her little baby seat." Tony pouted. "Gibbs... Actin' like _he_ knows what Sarah thinks. She's a BABY! How's HE know what she's thinkin'? If _anyone_ knows what she's thinkin', it's ME. I'm her DADDY. Gibbs is just Boss-Boss to her. He's just the old boat-buildin' babysitter, that's all HE is." Tony snarled, growling under his breath.

"You are jealous of Gibbs with Sarah," Ziva said. She turned back towards Tony, a little grin playing at the corners of her mouth. "It bothers you that she enjoys being with him. Tony!" Ziva laughed gently. Tony glowered at her, pouting some more.

"Well, she's MY baby girl -- _our_ baby girl... sorry, honey... I meant she's OUR girl -- and when he babysits her he acts like she's HIS little girl. Ducky doesn't do that. I mean, Ducky spoils her and those dogs of his go crazy over Sarah, but he doesn't pretend to have some weird connection with her like he knows what she's thinkin'." Tony buried his face in Ziva's shoulder. "And McGee and Jimmy, when they take care of her, they treat her like a queen but they don't try to act like they're her daddy. Even that one time we were in a pinch and Vance stepped up to keep Sarah overnight? His wife said he started talkin' about them havin' another baby and their kids started sayin' they wanted a little sister. But he didn't HOG Sarah like Gibbs does."

Ziva turned around to face Tony. She removed her sunglasses and stared deeply into his green eyes.

"Have you thought that perhaps Gibbs is just naturally good with children? After all, he was a father for many years. He knows what it is to care for a baby." A somber expression clouded Ziva's face. "Gibbs' baby girl was taken from him in a horrible manner, Tony, as was the only woman he ever truly loved with all his heart. I cannot imagine the pain and loneliness he has had to deal with over the years. I hope I never find out what it is to suffer that kind of loss." She touched Tony's chest. "Gibbs lost Shannon and Kelly, Tony. _We_ are his family -- all of us at NCIS -- and now Sarah has joined us; she is his family, too. He keeps so much emotion inside because that is the kind of man he is... does it hurt so much for him to show his love for Sarah? She brings out a side of him that, frankly, we rarely see and it is a wonderful part of him. And I enjoy watching Gibbs with her. He does love her. But YOU are her father and she knows that, as does Gibbs. He is not trying to replace you, Tony. That is not something Gibbs would ever do. You know that." Tony looked down, a bit ashamed of what he'd said.

"Aw, I know," he sighed. "I'm just jealous, that's all. Of Sarah... of YOU... Ziva, you and Sarah, you're all I have, y'know? I _love_ you, Ziva -- I love you and Sarah so much. You're the best things in my life and I've never had a lot of good stuff goin' for me before." Tony played with the shark tooth necklace Ziva bought for him earlier that day at a beachside kiosk. "I wasted a lot of time chasin' women and actin' like a ... silly monkey." Ziva giggled and Tony peered up at her, smiling. "Guess sometimes I still AM about as dumb as an apeman, huh?"

"Not dumb. But you are certainly as hairy as one," Ziva teased. Tony reached out, grabbed her and pulled her to him. They kissed, long and passionately. "I love you, too, my silly monkey," Ziva purred, stroking Tony's chest hair.

"Mama?" Baby Sarah sat up, rubbing her eyes with her tiny hands as she yawned. "Da-Da?" Tony and Ziva looked over at their infant daughter, who watched them sleepily. She yawned again and pulled Tony The Tiger to her. Ziva leaned over and picked Sarah up, plopping the tiny girl in her lap. She gave Sarah kisses and whispered how much mama and papa loved her. Sarah pressed her cheek against Ziva's bare tummy and closed her eyes. Tony rubbed Tony The Tiger's fuzzy head.

"So Sarah's gettin' a monkey for sure," Tony said, grinning, "to go along with the one she already has." He winked at Ziva, who kissed him before turning back to look out at the ocean. Another breeze blew in along the beach. The palm trees swayed with the wind.

"And a giraffe," Ziva replied. "Something... gentle for our little princess. I believe Mister Stripeybutt here can peacefully co-exist with some new friends." Tony snickered at Ziva getting his favorite nickname for Tony The Tiger wrong. It touched him.

"Hey, what're we bringin' Gibbs?" Tony asked. "Gotta get somethin' for the Boss from _May_-hee-co. And DON'T say 'Mike Franks.'" Ziva chuckled.

"I believe I saw a sombrero with Gibbs' name upon it," Ziva said, a wry smile crossing her face as she put her sunglasses back on. "In fact, I threw caution into the air and bought it. It is back at the hotel room. I cannot wait to see his face when we give it to him."

Tony groaned, turning his eyes heavenward.

"Yeah, well..." Tony sighed, "I think I can."


	33. You've Got A Friend

Title: You've Got A Friend  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: The honeymoon's over but for Tony, the fun is JUST beginning. Remember that dream about getting a dog? Well...

**-------------------- You've Got A Friend ---------------------**

"When Mommy's away, Daddy and Snugglepumpkin will PLAY!" Tony chirped, tucking Sarah firmly into one of the baby swings at the park. She kicked and squeaked with glee. "Okay, BIG push! One... two... THREE! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Tony gave Baby Sarah a little push and she screamed out, overjoyed, when she went up into the air and then swung back again. And again. And again. And again...

Tony The Tiger and Sarah's new friend from her trip, Silly Monkey, watched from her stroller. Silly Monkey wore a snappy little sombrero that read "MEXICO" in vibrant colors. Since joining the family he and Tony Tiger had become best friends, never leaving Sarah's side. Tony called them "The Three Amigos" but at night only Tony The Tiger still slept next to Sarah. Silly Monkey had a little place of his own at the foot of the crib, a little Mexican serape covering him as he "slept."

After about 20 minutes of pushing Sarah on the swing, Tony finally plucked his daughter out of the contraption and gave her some water, milk and Sarah Snacks. Meanwhile, he munched on some Daddy Snacks of his own as he held Sarah in his lap while they rested under a nearby tree, the stroller next to them. The early autumn afternoon was cool and the multi-colored leaves rustled and fell as Tony and Baby Sarah watched.

Everything was perfect.

Until Tony went to put Sarah in the stroller and saw that Silly Monkey was gone.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I want THAT! And THAT! And THAT! And THAT! And OH OH OH! I reeeeeeally want THAT!" Abby's wide eyes scanned the toy store shelves as she ran along the aisles, pointing out the things she hoped to add to her own toy collection. Small children trailed her, giggling, their mothers and fathers too stunned to speak. Ziva, pricing stuffed animals, merely shook her head and chuckled at the sight of Abby, the biggest kid in the toy store, skipping along with her double pigtails flapping gaily.

Finally, Abby made her way around to where Ziva stood, standing at attention beside her friend.

"Present and accounted for! Let Operation: New Zoo BEGIN!" Abby smiled broadly, saluting.

"Actually," Ziva said, "I think I have found the perfect new friend for Sarah." She handed Abby a soft stuffed animal. "What do you think?"

"Aw, MAN!" Abby said, cradling the animal to her as she gave it a little hug. "She's so CUTE! What are we gonna name her?"

"I have an idea," Ziva answered. She whispered a name in Abby's ear. Abby looked suddenly as if she might cry.

"Ziva," Abby said softly, pulling Ziva into a big hug, "that's beautiful."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Gimme my baby girl's MONKEY, you little MUTT!" Tony, pushing Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger in the stroller, chased the puppy around the running track at the park, huffing and puffing as he ran, full-tilt, after the tiny black dog. _MAN, I gotta get back in shape_, he thought, gasping for air. _Too many tacos Down Mexico Way, I guess._

The little puppy suddenly put on a burst of speed, leaving Tony in its dust, and then -- as if to taunt him -- stood in the distance with Silly Monkey still firmly in its mouth, watching Tony try to catch up. The puppy shook Silly Monkey back and forth in its mouth. Tony snarled. Now he was just furious. Sarah was mad, too. She barked at the puppy from her stroller, brandishing Tony The Tiger like a weapon at the dog.

"OK, you FLEABAG..." Tony growled under his breath, panting as he gathered himself for a final attack. "Now it's you versus Team DiNozzo. And _YOU_... are goin' DOWN!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arriving back at the apartment, Tony pushed the stroller into the living room. Flopping down on the couch, he wiped the sweat from his brow, then took Baby Sarah out of her seat. Next he plucked Tony The Tiger and Silly Monkey from the stroller. Placing Sarah on his chest, he lay down on the couch. Tony Tiger and Silly Monkey, safely positioned atop the sofa, watched over the living room. Baby Sarah yawned and snuggled into Tony's chest.

"Doggy?" she said in a small, sleepy voice. Tony groaned.

"No, Muffincakes," Tony said softly. It was all he could do to stay awake after the exhausting day he'd had at the park. "The doggy can't sleep on the couch with us." Baby Sarah sighed and looked down to the floor.

"Doggy..." she repeated, pouting her tiny lips at her other new friend. She waved to him, smiling.

The little black puppy's ears perked up. He wagged his tail excitedly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And your name's McFLEA now!" Tony snapped at the puppy, who sat obediently on the floor, looking up at Tony. "Let's get one thing STRAIGHT, buddy: In this house, I'M the master! Hear me?" McFlea wagged his tiny tail and yapped in response. "Okay, then," Tony grumbled. He took a seat on the couch, flipping on the TV with his remote, and McFlea, after a few unsuccessful attempts, jumped up to join him. "OFF!" Tony barked. McFlea barked back. "DOWN, McFlea! And don't talk _back_ to me, you little Probie Puppy." Tony picked McFlea up and put him on the floor. McFlea whined. "MASTER," Tony said, thumbing his chest for emphasis. "McMUTT," he went on, pointing at McFlea, who lay on the floor at Tony's feet, pouting.

"I see he respects your authority as much as we all do," Ziva joked, entering the living room with a still-sleepy Baby Sarah. Having returned home from shopping, Ziva had put Sarah in her crib with Tony The Tiger, Silly Monkey and her new surprise, specially chosen with Aunt Abby's help. "McFlea?" Ziva asked, settling onto the sofa with Sarah. "That is a strange name for a dog, is it not?"

"Well, I'm sure he's just hoppin' _WITH_ McFleas," Tony sniped, frowning at the puppy, who sat up and wagged his tail lovingly at his new master. "So why not call it like it is?"

"And you brought this little fellow home with you because...?" Ziva gave Tony a wry look.

"When I finally CAUGHT the little savage at the park and wrenched Silly Monkey outta his jaws, Sarah reached out and started pettin' him. And you know how dogs go crazy over her. He jumped into the stroller and sat in her lap and every time I tried haulin' him outta there, Sarah started to cry and he started howlin' and..." Tony sighed, "... it was just easier to bring him back here. So I guess we've got a dog now. I don't even know what kind of McMutt he is." He closed his eyes and lay his head back on the sofa cushions. It had been a long day.

"He looks like a Lab mix," Ziva said. "I'll get Abby to take a look at him. She will figure it out." Ziva clapped her hands together, McFlea's little ears pricked up and he nearly fell over his feet trying to run and jump onto the couch. Baby Sarah squeaked with joy, saying "Doggy!" over and over. After a few tries, McFlea finally hopped into Sarah's lap and she laughed, thrilled. The puppy licked her face, tail wagging non-stop. Tony grimaced.

"_Zee_-vah!" Tony whined, "I just told him he couldn't get on the couch! How's he gonna learn to obey his master if you're tellin' him one thing after I tell him something else? Look at him, he's slobberin' all over Sarah! _Now_ she's gonna need a bath." He snarled at McFlea, who was enjoying kisses on his little furry head from Baby Sarah. "And HE needs a FLEA dip! And shots! And God _knows_ what else! AND he thinks Silly Monkey is his own personal chew toy! We can't have that. If he's gonna stay, he's gotta learn to behave." McFlea's tongue hung from the side of his mouth. He yipped happily at Tony. Tony growled back.

"I believe you have another little fan, my love," Ziva teased. "McFlea seems to adore you, even if the feeling -- right now -- is not mutual." She stroked McFlea's little ears. "How can you not love this sweet face?" She picked McFlea up and nuzzled his black snoot. "Give Mommy a kiss, my little furry butt..."

"HEY!" Tony barked. "That's MY nickname! I'M your pet! _Remember?!!!_"

"I do," Ziva replied, smiling. "You will always be my most special pet, Tony. You and our princess here. She loves her new little girlfriend, by the way. Sarah was thrilled when she saw her. I believe she is fascinated by her spots." Baby Sarah now snuggled with McFlea on the couch.

"Jenny Giraffe," Tony said, stroking Sarah's hair. "You pick out that name, Sweet Cheeks?"

"Yes," Ziva said quietly. "I would like for Sarah to grow up hearing about Jenny. When she is older."

"Me too," Tony agreed. His green eyes moved down to where Sarah and McFlea lay snoozing. "_McFlea_..." Tony sighed. "He's gonna be my shadow now, isn't he? Ah well..." He patted McFlea's furry little belly and the puppy kicked in his sleep. "I always wanted a dog when I was a kid." Tony smiled down at his baby daughter and the family's new puppy.

"You and McFlea are bonding," Ziva said. "I believe you two should spend some... _quality time_ together this evening."

"Quality time?" Tony asked. "I think chasing McFlea all over the park and working up a sweat oughta count for that. We've bonded. We're good."

"You do not _smell_ good," Ziva replied, wrinkling her nose. "Either of you." She pointed towards the bathroom. "Quality time, Tony. _Now._"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

McFlea sat at Tony's feet, shivering despite the shower's steam heat, as Tony lathered up with soap. He whined, staring up at his master. Tony shrugged, looking down at McFlea, and soaped his chest.

"First rule, McFlea," Tony said, the hot water pelting his back, "What My Ninja Wants, My Ninja Gets. And tonight...," he leaned down to soap McFlea's fur. The puppy yelped and tried to escape Tony's gentle grasp. "... my ninja wants us CLEAN."


	34. Puppy Love

Title: Puppy Love  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony takes McFlea to the vet. Ziva and Baby Sarah play Zoo with a special visitor.

**-------------------- Puppy Love ---------------------**

"Mr. DiNozzo? Dr. Wolf will see you and... McFlea... now." The veterinarian's assistant smiled at Tony, who wrangled his black lab puppy into his arms. McFlea tried escaping to no avail. _Dr. WOLF?_ Tony thought. _Seriously?_

"McFlea! Quit it!" Tony barked as the puppy squirmed and yapped. "Chillax, you little McMutt!" Tony growled under his breath as McFlea whimpered. They entered an exam room and the assistant had Tony put McFlea on a metal table. McFlea shivered and cried.

"Poor guy," the assistant said, setting out a chart for the vet.

"Yeah," Tony replied. "Thanks. I really _have_ had a hard day."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Baby Sarah and Tony The Tiger reviewed the Zoo's newest members. Silly Monkey and Jenny Giraffe sat before them on the floor, awaiting inspection.

"Raf," Sarah said, reaching to pat Jenny Giraffe on the head. She gently pulled Jenny over to sit by Tony The Tiger.

"Good choice," a soft voice said from over Sarah's shoulder. "I think Jenny's gonna be a great member of Team Sarah. Let's see what Mama says."

"I agree," Ziva replied. "Jenny will keep Tony in line, I believe. And he needs that. Sometimes our tiger can get into trouble -- especially when he does not want to take a bath. When that happens, a certain little girl decides that she _also_ will not get into the tub." Sarah hid her face, giggling. "And then Mama is not happy." Sarah looked sheepishly up at Ziva, who patted her on the head.

"Da-Da!" Sarah said, taking Silly Monkey by the arm. He, too, joined the little group.

The voice over her shoulder now chuckled.

"Yep, you got that right, Sarah. Your daddy is one Silly Monkey, alright." Sarah turned and gave Gibbs a kiss on the cheek. "He's a real GOOD Silly Monkey, though. Loves you more than anything, you and your Mama. Better keep him around." Sarah nodded "yes."

"I assure you, Gibbs," Ziva laughed, "that our Silly Monkey isn't going anywhere."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Wolf put on his vinyl gloves with a loud "SNAP!" McFlea whined. Tony's eyes widened.

"Well, then, let's see what we've got here," the doctor, who sported a thick red beard, said -- a little too happily to suit Tony. McFlea quaked on the table, a tiny muzzle covering his nose and mouth.

"Uh, Dr. Wolf?" Tony asked, "How's this exam go, anyway? What's McFlea got to, uh, look forward to?"

"Oh, nothing out of the ordinary. I'll check him for worms, listen to his heart, set you up with some daily medicine for him..." Dr. Wolf moved to McFlea's rear.

"Check him for worms?" Tony croaked, his green eyes following the doctor. "Um, is that anything like when... uh... a guy goes in for a physical and... heh... y'know..."

"Yes," Dr. Wolf replied, "About the same." McFlea jumped suddenly, howled and then snapped and cried behind his muzzle as he was checked for worms. Tony watched in shock, feeling pity for his little puppy. And then the worm check was over. "All clear!" Dr. Wolf announced. "He's in good shape, feels like, but we'll get x-rays to be sure." McFlea trembled and whimpered. Tony patted his small black head, whispering what a good boy he'd been.

"Couch time for you with Daddy tonight, buddy," Tony whispered, petting McFlea softly. McFlea lay down on the table and whined.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Tony got home, carrying a sleeping McFlea in his arms, Baby Sarah screamed "DA-DA!" and toddled to meet him as fast as her little legs would carry her. She grabbed onto his leg and "rode" along as Tony made his way to the couch, where he set McFlea down on a blanket.

"Doggy?" Sarah said, concerned, as she peeked at McFlea. Tony put his index finger to his lips and made a little "Shhh" sound.

"Doggy's tired," he whispered to Sarah. "Doggy feels bad. Let Doggy sleep, Snugglepumpkin." Sarah nodded, looking sadly at McFlea.

From the kitchen area, Ziva and Gibbs waved "hello" to Tony. Tony hoisted Sarah into his arms and they sat down at the dining room table.

"How did it go with the doctor?" Ziva asked. "Is McFlea alright?" She, too, looked worried.

"He's fine," Tony said. "Got a full checkup. Poor little guy had to get examined for worms."

"Ouch," Gibbs said, chopping up garlic.

"No kidding," Tony answered. "They had to sedate him after that. He was howlin' like a little banshee whenever the doctor got near him. So he'll be out for a while. But he's healthy. And, Ziva, you're right. He's a lab mix. Lab and ... something. The doctor couldn't figure it out, either, but he's mostly lab. Strong like a little ox so I guess he and Sarah here should get along fine, isn't that right, Baby Atlas?" Sarah blushed, snuggling against Tony's chest. "Stayin' for dinner, Boss?"

"Yep," Gibbs said, adding the garlic to the spaghetti sauce on the stove. He adjusted his apron and checked on the garlic bread in the oven.

"Good," Tony said. "It's been a long time since we had a family dinner." Ziva kissed him on the cheek, heading across the room to check on McFlea. Gibbs joined Tony at the table, offering him a beer, as Baby Sarah patted her daddy's chest softly.


	35. Everywhere I'm Not

Title: Everywhere I'm Not  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's Tony and Ziva vs. McFlea and Baby Sarah when McFlea is a bad, BAD boy.

**-------------------- Everywhere I'm Not ---------------------  
**  
Ziva stood over the crib, arms folded over her chest, a stern look on her face. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was there, right before her eyes, but it was just too much to take in.

Baby Sarah lay snoring beneath her favorite blanket, Tony The Tiger at her side. Jenny Giraffe watched over them at the head of the crib.

At the foot of the crib, Silly Monkey lay "sleeping" in his brightly-colored Mexican serape.

And nestled beside him, black snoot peeking out from under the serape, was a conked-out McFlea.

"TONY!" Ziva yelled, knowing by now that nothing short of a trainwreck would wake Baby Sarah -- or their new puppy, who was snoozing exactly where he wasn't supposed to be.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Bad dog!" Tony scolded, picking McFlea up out of Sarah's crib. "BAD DOG!" McFlea, dazed from being so suddenly awakened, yawned. His eyelids drooped and his tongue hung out the side of his mouth.

Baby Sarah sat up, rubbing her eyes with her tiny fists. She, too, was confused at what was going on.

"Da-Da?" she asked, looking up at Tony, her face sad at seeing McFlea in her daddy's hands. "Doggy?" Sarah reached out both her hands as if to take McFlea back from Tony. Tony frowned at this, raising an eyebrow.

"No, Snugglepumpkin," he said softly, "Doggy can't sleep with you. Daddy and Mommy say 'no.' Doggy has to sleep in his own bed." McFlea yawned again, limp in Tony's hands. Sarah stuck out her bottom lip, taking Tony The Tiger into her arms.

"Doggy!" she cried, clearly unhappy. "DOGGY!" Tony was surprised. He'd never seen Baby Sarah get so fussy. But he knew he had to stand his ground.

"NO, Sarah!" Tony said firmly. "Daddy says NO."

Sarah pouted, giving Tony an angry look, before she and Tony The Tiger hid under her blanket.

_Somebody's gonna be Crankypants all day now_, Tony thought, rolling his eyes, as he left the nursery. "Happy?" he snapped at McFlea, who responded with another yawn.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tony and Ziva snuggled on the couch, watching the Ohio State game. Yet again, Tony tried explaining American football to his wife. Ziva wasn't picking up the rules but she loved the tackling and hard hits.

McFlea trotted across the room with Silly Monkey in his mouth. He deposited the toy in Sarah's lap, she giggled and patted McFlea on the head. Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe watched quietly from where they sat on either side of Sarah. Then McFlea picked Silly Monkey up again and trotted over to the end of the couch, leapt up and sat looking at Ziva and Tony, shaking Silly Monkey at both of them.

"We," Ziva said to Tony as she locked eyes with McFlea, "have a little problem."

Baby Sarah fell on the floor, kicking and laughing at McFlea's antics.

"_Two_ little problems," Tony sighed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abby sat on the floor, facing McFlea. She peered into his brown eyes, searching them with hers.

"How long has this been going on?" Ziva asked, staring at the odd sight.

"Couple hours," Tony answered. "She's tapping into his aura."

"What?" Ziva said, looking completely confused. "I do not understand."

"Me neither," Tony whispered. "Don't ask, Sweet Cheeks. Just go with it."

"Uh-huh," Abby said, knitting her brow. "Hmmm... yeah... yeah... I hear you, man. That IS rough for a little guy." She nodded understandingly. McFlea yapped, wagging his tail. "Cool," Abby said, nodding again. "OK, but you gotta see where THEY'RE coming from, too, y'know? I know it's hard getting used to the new 'rents and you wanna impress your big sister but you gotta do your part, too, dude." McFlea whined softly. "Of COURSE they still love you! Awww... that is so SWEET!" Abby looked like she might cry. Turning to Ziva and Tony, she said, "He thinks he's going to the POUND and he's so SO sorry for acting up. He says he loves Silly Monkey because Silly Monkey smells like Tony and he likes the way his daddy smells -- like stinky cologne." Tony grimaced; Ziva snickered.

Abby addressed Tony: "Look, McFlea here is just a Daddy's Boy, that's all. Wherever you go, he wants to go with you. He sniffs you out in Sarah's crib and that's where he wants to sleep. Also, he says it's warmer there and he knows she'd protect him from any mean cats who might come after him because she's a ninja and cats are scared of them. Ninjas, I mean. It's a whole ninja-cat-fight thing. Been going on for centuries. Anyway..." Abby's face took on a sad look. "He told me you can take him back to the mean doctor if you want to because he's been such a bad boy." Abby jumped up, yanking Tony into a fierce hug. "But don't DO that, Tony! Please!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Stinky cologne, huh?" Tony groused from his place on the couch, watching McFlea and Baby Sarah play Zoo in the middle of the living room floor. Sarah propped her animals on McFlea's tiny back and he gave them rides around the room.

"He is obviously much smarter than I thought," Ziva snarked, looking up at Tony. Baby Sarah toddled over to her, placing Jenny Giraffe in her lap so Jenny could "read" with Ziva. "Thank you, my princess," Ziva said, smiling, to Sarah. Sarah clapped with satisfaction and returned to the Zoo.

"Fine!" Tony snapped, pouting. "Mr. Stinky Cologne Man's gonna go take a BATH!" He rose from the couch and left the room in a snit. Ziva chuckled, watching him. Baby Sarah giggled, hugging Tony The Tiger to her chest. McFlea pricked up his little ears. He sat straight up, cocking his head to one side.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
_  
"Everybody's WORKIN' for the WEEEEEEK-END!"_ Tony sang in a falsetto voice, bubbles all around him as he soaked in his hot bath. _"Everybody's GOIN' off the DEEEEEEEP end! Everybody NEEDS some TRUE RO-MAAAAANCE!"_ He groaned with pure pleasure as he soaped his shoulders with the backscrubber.

Then he noticed that he had an audience.

"What're YOU lookin' at?" he barked, frowning. "Daddy's in the TUB! Can't a man have any PRIVACY?"

McFlea's tongue hung out the side of his mouth, his black paws stood in stark contrast to the white porcelain of the tub. His ears were pricked up as he studied his master. He yapped, tail wagging, in answer to Tony's question.

"NO!" Tony snapped. "You are NOT comin' in here! MY bubble bath! No McHOUNDS allowed!" McFlea whimpered. Tony pointed towards the bathroom door, which was cracked open. "OUT! GOODBYE! ADIOS! AM-SCRAY!" When McFlea simply yapped happily in reply, Tony yelled "ZEEEEEE-VAAAAAHHHH!" All he heard was Ziva and Baby Sarah, laughing from the living room. _Traitors_, Tony thought.

McFlea tried scrambling into the tub but slipped back with each try, his paws unable to grip the slick porcelain.

"Ha HAH!" Tony laughed, sticking his tongue out in jest every time McFlea fell back onto his rump. "Serves you RIGHT, McHardhead!"

McFlea lay down on the tiled floor, whining sadly. Tony rolled his eyes.

_Why ME?_ Tony thought, sighing. _Why am I SO damn irresistible?_

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"If you stay in that bath much longer," Ziva said, leaning in the doorway to the bathroom, "you will turn into a _grape_, Tony." Baby Sarah, in her mother's arms, frowned at her daddy, who sat covered in bubbles.

"_Prune_, my bride," Tony corrected. "And blame HIM," he went on, pointing to the foot of the tub, "HE won't get out!" McFlea's black snoot emerged from a mountain of white foam. Ziva and Baby Sarah both laughed.

"Does he like your new scent, my little Furry Butt?" Ziva teased. She picked up a pink bottle. "Mr. Bubble? It IS an improvement over... _stinky cologne._" Baby Sarah couldn't stop laughing, the words "Da-Da" coming under her breath between little giggles. Tony growled at them as they left.

"Man's Best Friend," Tony muttered sarcastically, narrowing his eyes at McFlea, who barked happily from his end of the tub, a crown of bubbles atop his little black head, as he wagged his tail. "And what kinda McMutt needs a baby ninja to protect him from CATS?"


	36. Dress You Up

Title: Dress You Up  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo goes trick-or-treating and McFlea confronts his biggest fear.

**-------------------- Dress You Up ---------------------**

"What a HAUL!" Tony said, his eyes wide as he peeped into Baby Sarah's trick-or-treat bag. "No yucky candy! Daddy LIKEY!" Sarah, dressed in a ninja outfit with tiger ears and a tiger tail, frowned at her father and took her bag back from him. "Daddy was just CHECKING to make sure the candy was all safe!" Ziva shook her head at Tony, rolling her eyes.

"Put BACK that Mr. Nutbar, Tony," she said nonchalantly. "YOU do not need any candy." Her eyes traveled down to Tony's little gut, which he quickly sucked in.

"McFlea and I ran five miles today!" Tony protested. McFlea, who wore a little red cape, looked up quizzically at his master. Tony stared back down at him. "Okay, fine. _Three_ miles." Ziva continued looking at Tony. "Alright, alright... Two." Tony grimaced, knowing he'd been nailed. "We played in the park," he admitted. "McFlea chased squirrels. A couple of 'em ganged up on him and threw acorns at him. Did you know dogs can scream? I didn't. Before TODAY!" Tony snarled, frowning at McFlea, who hung his tongue out the side of his mouth and yawned. Baby Sarah patted Tony's chest, pointing to the next house with a jack-o-lantern glowing orange on its porch.

"Yeah, we're goin', Little Ninja Tiger," he said softly. "If a certain McCHICKEN can get over his fear of PUMPKINS! And CATS! And KIDS in COSTUMES! And, oh yeah, EVERYTHING!" McFlea whined, trembling at the sight of the grinning jack-o-lantern. "SuperDog, my furry BUTT!" Tony huffed. He and Baby Sarah strode off towards the house. "Tick-o-tee!" Sarah sang as they made their way up the street-lit sidewalk. Tony adjusted the cowboy hat he wore. Toy pistols hung on either side of his hips. His boots made a "CLONK! CLONK!" sound as he walked. _What a punk of man,_ Ziva thought, admiring Tony's form as he moved down the street. She frowned. _Or is it hunk? I forget which is correct._

Ziva, holding Tony The Tiger, who wore his red bowtie, under one arm and McFlea's leash in her other hand, started to follow them but found that McFlea wouldn't budge. She knelt down, petting his fuzzy black head.

"There is nothing to be afraid of, my little fuzzball," Ziva cooed, cuddling McFlea in her arms. "It is Halloween. They are not REAL ghosts or vampires." McFlea licked her cheek sweetly.

A pack of teenage boys strolled up to Ziva and McFlea. Loud and cocky, they wore black hoodies and hockey masks.

"Hey, lady," one said rudely to Ziva, "where's YOUR costume?" The others snickered. Ziva considered them, one by one. "Like, what're YOU supposed to be, huh?" The boy turned back to his friends, making a face.

"I am a highly-trained assassin," Ziva said, smiling primly, "trained in the art of taking down international terrorists by any means necessary. Sometimes I must kill them but now that I have become a mother, I find that I prefer less violence. It is quite an adjustment, I must admit." The boys stood gaping at her. "And you are?"

"What's THEIR problem?" Tony asked Ziva when he and Baby Sarah returned. He stared at the pack of boys running full-tilt down the street in the opposite direction. "Something scare them?" Tony grinned broadly, laughing. "They see a GHOST? Ha HAH!" Baby Sarah giggled.

"They _wish_," Ziva said, smirking. "Come on, Cowpunk," she joked, winking at Tony, "let's get this sleepy little Ninja Tiger home. Tony The Tiger is tired, too. And I think McFlea has had enough of Halloween."

"That dog's afraid of TUESDAY," Tony groused. "What a McWimp." He snorted, shaking his head in disappointment. McFlea sadly padded along behind Ziva, who scolded Tony for what he'd said about McFlea.

Just then, a black cat who'd been eyeing McFlea from far away skittered up to him, hissing right in his face. McFlea jumped back, surprised.

"_Look_ at him, Ziva!" Tony said, frowning. "He's _scared!_ Sheesh... C'mon, McFlea!" Tony reached down to pick up the puppy, but McFlea growled at him. Tony backed off, unsure of what to do.

The cat continued hissing at McFlea, its tail up in the air, claws out. McFlea stood his ground, facing the cat.

Suddenly, McFlea bared his little fangs and snarled, then barked as loud as he could. He sounded like a pack of dogs instead of just one small puppy. The cat screeched and tore off down the sidewalk as fast as it could go. McFlea stood barking, his ears pricked forward, the fur on his back standing up.

"DOGGY!" Sarah squeaked with joy, clapping her hands. McFlea looked up at her, wagging his tail and panting.

Tony and Ziva knelt down to pet their little protector, who jumped up to give Baby Sarah sloppy dog kisses. She laughed and kicked.

"Good BOY!" Tony said, giving McFlea a hug. "Who's Daddy's TOUGH guy, huh?" McFlea yapped happily. "I didn't really mean that about you bein' a McWimp, buddy," Tony said apologetically. "Daddy loves you." McFlea wagged his tail and licked Tony's cheek. "And Daddy loves YOU," Tony said to Baby Sarah, giving her a little peck on the nose, "and Daddy really loves YOU," Tony said huskily to Ziva, his lips meeting hers in a deep, sensuous kiss.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Ziva asked Tony, cocking her head to one side. Her dark brown eyes met his green eyes as they stood beneath the streetlight. Tony smiled at his wife. Nothing got by her.

"Oh, OK... Daddy loves you, TOO," Tony said, taking Tony The Tiger from Ziva so he could plant a smooch on his fuzzy orange forehead. Baby Sarah clapped with joy. Tony handed her the fuzzy stuffed toy, which she clutched to her, and, as Ziva took Tony's other arm, the family headed for home, McFlea trotting in front to guard against any black cats daring to cross their path.


	37. I Want A New Drug

Title: I Want A New Drug  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: There's only one thing that can keep Tony and Ziva in bed all weekend -- besides sex.

**-------------------- I Want A New Drug ---------------------**

With Baby Sarah and McFlea safely packed off to Abby's, Tony and Ziva lay in bed together staring at the ceiling. Sweaty and barely able to breathe, they both moaned and looked into each others' eyes. Ziva reached over to touch Tony. He closed his eyes, a low groan coming from deep within his throat as the back of her hand caressed his chest hair.

"Dat?" he whimpered, "HURTH!" Ziva pulled her hand away.

And then Ziva sneezed, so loud that Tony's eyes popped wide open. He weakly handed her a long box.

"Tissuth, Thweeth Cheekth?" Tony said, pulling a tissue out to blow his own nose. Ziva took the box from him, coughing.

"Dank you, by liddle furry budd," Ziva replied, sniffling. She let out a loud "HONNNNNNNKKKK!" and sniffled some more. Tony coughed, too.

"You dough, Thee-ba," he said, sniffling, "I blabe BahGEE for us gedding duh FLU!" Tony snarled, blowing his nose again. "HE was duh one who was THICK all lasth weeg and kebt SNEEDING at his DESTHK!" He whined, then had a coughing fit, then whined some more. "Thupid PWOBIE!"

"Choo may be white," Ziva said, clearing her throat. "Dabby bwought BahGee hot thoup all weeg log and whedever Gibbth wath not looging, BahGee would sleeb ad hith desthk." She moaned, taking a digital thermometer from her bedside table. Putting it in her mouth, she waited for it to beep. When it did, Ziva studied it and slapped her hand to her forehead. "Bun hundreth bun," she sighed. "By feeber has DOT broketh."

"Bine hath," Tony whined. "Ith broketh my ENTHIRE THIPIRIT! I'd KILL BahGee rith now... if I couth BOOVE a BUSCLE!" He fell into another coughing spasm, followed by chills. "Thee-vah," Tony gasped, "If I thie, wemember that I luff you. And Tharah. And BicFlee. Heath a good dogth. Kind of a thcaredy cath, buth thill a thweet widdle doggy." Ziva stared over at Tony, who looked completely dazed.

"Thony," she began, eyeballing her husband suspiciously, "dith you take thome more of thath cough medithine? You werenth thuppothed to THAKE anymore!" Tony drooled, his eyes rolling back in his head. A loopy smile crossed his face as he started to doze off.

"Thleep will make ith ALLLLLL betther, by dinja," Tony slurred, the drool starting to pool on his chest. "Dow... choo just let be doe when duh woom tops thpinning, dokay? Dohhhh-kaaaaay..."


	38. Crush

Title: Crush  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Abby S.  
Category: Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: McFlea has a girlfriend. Normally, Tony would be thrilled but...  
**  
-------------------- Crush ---------------------**

"Okay! OKAY!" Abby said, upset as she answered her door. Seeing Tony standing there, pounding on the wood, she frowned. "GEEZ, Tony! C'mon! I said I was COMING! I need my door, man!"

"Where _is_ he?!!!" Tony snapped, pushing rudely past Abby. "Where's my little FLEABAG who suddenly doesn't want to come home? Ziva said McFlea wouldn't even get up when she came by earlier to pick up Sarah!"

"Won't you please come IN?" Abby said sarcastically, getting angry at being pushed around in her own place. "And he's over there -- with Kitty Kate, Mister Frowny-Face." Tony stalked into Abby's living room, then stopped cold, shocked by the sight of McFlea having the black fur of his face "cleaned" by Abby's three-year-old black cat. As Kitty Kate licked McFlea's forehead tenderly, McFlea yapped happily.

"What the _hell?_" Tony began, scratching his head. "That cat hates everyone but you and Sarah. And McFlea is _afraid_ of cats -- except for the one he got mad at on Halloween night. Remember how you said he freaked out when he saw Kitty Kate when you brought him here with Sarah back when Ziva and I had the flu? He wouldn't come down from on top of the armoire. That's what you told me. And now look at him -- look at HER!" Kitty Kate was pawing McFlea's ear, purring. McFlea's tongue hung out the side of his mouth. He panted off and on excitedly, drooling.

"Well... okay, so... yeah," Abby replied, rolling her eyes as she scrunched up her lips. "They kinda bonded. I know! It's weird! But c'mon, Tony, it's kinda cute. Look at them -- they're like... the odd couple of animals. A peace accord has been brokered between cats and dogs. Or at least between this... one... cat.. and... dog. Anyway, Kitty Kate's never had a boyfriend before and..." Abby clasped her hands to her chest "... now she does. Isn't it romantic?" Tony looked at her like she was crazy.

"Romantic? He's a DOG! She's a CAT! That goes against EVERY LAW OF NATURE, Abby!" Tony glared at McFlea, who was now trotting around the room carrying Kitty Kate on his back. "She's hangin' all OVER him! Literally! McFLEA! QUIT THAT!" McFlea stopped momentarily, pricking up his ears at the sound of his name. He barked in response, tongue hanging out as he appeared to smile at Tony. Kitty Kate hissed furiously in Tony's direction, flicked her tail back and forth, and pawed at McFlea's ears again. He restarted his little trot around the room and she settled down, content, on McFlea's back. Tony crossed his arms, watching in frustration. Abby smiled and shrugged.

"Ah, young love," she sighed. "You can't fight it, Tony." Tony snarled, his green eyes fixed on McFlea growling fiercely as he stuck his rump in the air, tail wagging full-speed, which delighted Kitty Kate.

"She's... She's too OLD for him! He's a PUPPY! Just a BABY! She's a TWENTYSOMETHING! A COLLEGE girl! Cat... Whatever..." Tony stammered, his face reddening. "Your cat is pulling a Mrs. Robinson on my dog! He's an innocent kid!"

"OK, first of all?" Abby countered, "McFlea? Is NOT so innocent! HE jumped into Kitty Kate's BED the first night he was here." McFlea trotted up to Abby, barking as he lay down at her feet obediently. Kitty Kate slowly crawled off his back, stretching languidly, before she primly sat beside him. She cleaned her paws, then began once again licking McFlea's face, gently pawing at his boxy snoot. McFlea's tail wagged back and forth; he let out a happy little howl. "HA!" Abby exclaimed, pointing at McFlea. "See? He? Is a baaaaad boy! And by 'bad,' I mean 'sneaky little girl-cat chaser.' McFlea, you are a SCAMP!" Abby narrowed her eyes at Tony. "He gets it honest, TONY." Tony did a double-take, frowning.

"HE... did not learn THAT from ME!" Tony argued. Closing his eyes, he sighed. "Y'know, I'm tired. So I'm dragging McRomeo here home." He knelt down, picking up McFlea. "Time to go, _Loverdog_." McFlea whimpered, pricking up his ears as he looked down at Kitty Kate, who stared back up at him from where she sat on the floor. Once again, she hissed threateningly at Tony. Tony scowled back at her. "Listen, CRADLE-ROBBER, if _Dog Breath_ here doesn't come home, we'll BOTH be dealing with one super-pissed crazy ninja chick and a cranky baby girl who's strong as a little ox. YOU wanna handle 'em?" Kitty Kate mewled softly and hid behind Abby's leg, trembling in fear.

"You didn't have to get _mean_, Tony," Abby said, picking up Kitty Kate. They followed Tony and the whining McFlea to the door.

In his car, Tony set McFlea down in the passenger seat. McFlea, pouting, lay down, whimpering.

"Real nice, McFLIRT. Of all the cats in the world," Tony groused, gunning the engine, "YOU have to get involved with a COUGAR."


	39. With You, Tonight

Title: With You, Tonight  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; family  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva have a Date Night, some long-awaited alone time and a serious conversation.

**-------------------- With You, Tonight ---------------------**

"This is nice," Ziva said, as Tony poured her another glass of red wine. "It has been a long time since you and I had time alone, Tony." She smiled at him over the candlelight illuminating the small, intimate table for two. "We should buy something nice for Abby as a 'thank-you' for keeping Sarah and McFlea this weekend."

"Yeah, let's go pick out a gift after dinner. Abs has had her eye on a new choker for a while -- McGee told me. Probie has quite an eye for fashion, you know... heh heh heh..." Tony teased, topping off his own wine glass. "I kinda forgot what this was like, y'know? Just us." His green eyes danced. "You... me... wine... dinner... a warm bed..." Tony winked at Ziva. He reached across the table. Taking her hand, he kissed her fingers. Ziva's wedding ring sparkled in the light. "No two a.m. feedings..."

"McFlea IS always hungry, isn't he?" Ziva laughed. "That puppy is a bottomless pot!"

"_Pit_, my bride," Tony tenderly corrected. "A bottomless pit." He took a steaming yeast roll from the basket between them, buttering it.

"Just like his father," Ziva teased, her eyes traveling down towards Tony's little gut. Tony grimaced and sucked in his tummy.

"I ... uh... I didn't eat all day," Tony said defensively, bringing his hot buttered roll to his mouth. "And I plan to work off ALL of our dinner later tonight, Sweet Cheeks, when we get back home." He waggled his eyebrows at Ziva suggestively. She smiled primly in return. Tony chomped down on the roll, letting out a comical little growl.

"Good," Ziva replied, sipping her wine. "You will need your strength, my little furry butt. Abby has loaned me her copy of the _Kama Sutra_. It definitely makes for ... interesting reading."

Tony coughed, choking on his roll. Ziva toasted him with her wine glass.

* * *

"Ziva?" Tony asked, softly and a bit apprehensively, as they lay together quietly in bed after making love. Ziva, who had been dozing, sighed in response, her head on Tony's shoulder. Tony thought a few moments before continuing. "Do you want to have a baby?"

"Yes," Ziva purred sleepily. "And we _have_ a baby, Tony." She started to doze off again.

"I mean... do you want to have _my_ baby?" Tony stroked Ziva's long black hair, his eyes fixed on the moonlight streaming in through the window.

Ziva propped herself up now, staring at Tony quizzically.

"Tony, of _course_ I do." She studied his features. "You know I do. Where is this coming from?"

"I don't know," Tony sighed, looking down. "Sometimes I just think that ... maybe.... because we already have Sarah..." he paused, "... maybe you won't _want_ another baby."

"I have _never_ said that," Ziva replied, honestly surprised at Tony's words. "Have I _given_ you that idea? Because I _want_ us to have children together, Tony. I would _love_ for Sarah to have brothers and sisters." She caressed his cheek reassuringly.

"Brothers? Sisters?" Tony said, perking up a bit. Ziva lay her head against his shoulder, hugging him closely.

"I would love to have a houseful of babies running around," Ziva mused, nuzzling Tony's neck. She snickered. "Because I will enjoy seeing you chase after some little rugbats who are just like _you_." Tony kissed her forehead.

"_Rugrats_," he corrected sweetly. "And I bet all our kids will be just like Mommy -- dark... mysterious... able to leap tall global terrorists in a single bound..." Ziva laughed.

"Perhaps," she replied, "except for Little Tony, who will look exactly like his father and constantly be in trouble at school for kissing all the girls in class."

"I'll have to have a talk with that boy," Tony joked. "And give him some pointers on how to not get caught."

"And I will have to punish him when he inevitably gets caught _every_ time," Ziva sighed.

"When do you think we'll be ready?" Tony asked, his tone becoming serious. "For more babies?"

"Soon, Tony," Ziva answered, pulling him into a tender kiss. "Soon."


	40. My Boyfriend's Back

Title: My Boyfriend's Back  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Abby S.  
Category: Humor  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: McFlea doesn't come home to Tony again. Guess why.  
**  
-------------------- My Boyfriend's Back ---------------------**

"Okay! I know what you're thinking," Abby said, opening her apartment door to a fuming Tony, who stood in the hallway seething with anger. "But Tony... Tony... here's the thing: It's NOT McFlea's fault this time. When Ziva came by to get Sarah earlier, he was all ready to go. It's just that... well..." Abby scrunched up her face, trying to choose the right words. "... KittyKate sorta threw a hissy-fit because she's really REALLY a smart cat and she hates it sooooo much whenever he has to go home because she's just craaaaazy about him and, like, McFlea got... um... the worst of it. I think KittyKate? Thinks McFlea's got another girlfriend." She grimaced, looking sheepishly over her shoulder.

Tony stood silently, just looking at Abby.

"Your cat," he said quietly, "is just _crazy_, Abby." His green eyes sparkled, but with fury, not their usual mischief. "Where... is... my... DOG?" Tony's voice was now an exaggerated whisper.

He was exhausted after a long day of watching McGee set up the family's DVD, big-screen TV and stereo so they would all be controlled by one master remote. And when Ziva had come home with Baby Sarah but without McFlea, Tony knew he would have to yet again extract his lovesick puppy from the clutches of Abby's cat, who had decided McFlea was her boyfriend. These trips frustrated him to no end and his hatred of them was only exacerbated by the fact that Ziva thought it was cute how McFlea's true love was a cat. Sarah, Ziva had told Tony, babbled all the way home in her baby way about "Doggy" and "Cah" and made kissing sounds, giggling. Tony was not amused.

"Hey!" Abby snapped, "KittyKate is NOT crazy, TONY!" She again looked back over her shoulder into the living room. "Well... maybe she can... kinda... lose it... sometimes." She turned back to Tony, pointing into his face as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I blame McFLEA! The little heartbreaker turns her from the sweet, shy girl I know into a raving sex fiend every time he's here!" She rolled her eyes, thinking. "Except that... cats can't really rave and they're not having sex because that would go against every natural law of the animal kingdom and plus it would be too weird and icky for me to even..."

"ABBY!" Tony barked. "Let me IN." He pushed past her, entering the apartment.

"Even vampires have to be _invited_, y'know," Abby protested, closing the door.

What Tony saw before him caused him to laugh out loud. He folded his arms over his chest, a smug grin crossing his face. A seriously angry KittyKate had McFlea cornered atop Abby's coffin, hissing at his every move. McFlea crouched in fear, whimpering and quaking. When McFlea saw Tony, he let out a pained little howl and KittyKate hissed loudly in return, brandishing her claws at him as a threat. McFlea immediately quieted down and went back to whining softly.

"DiNozzo's Romance Rule No. 1, you goofy mutt," Tony said, shaking his head at McFlea's antics, "If She Is One You Can't Outrun, You Risk Your Life To Have Your Fun." Abby looked at Tony quizzically.

"You have rules?" Abby asked.

"Nah," Tony admitted. "Just made that up." He strode towards where McFlea cowered on the coffin. "Time to go home, WonderStud." KittyKate hissed at Tony, showing him her claws. He laughed aloud again. "Oh ho HO! Try it on a guy who HASN'T been handcuffed naked to the chandelier at the Ohio State Tri-Delt house during sorority rush week and doused in perfume and baby oil, honey!" He hissed back at KittyKate, who ran to Abby for cover.

"And _you_ didn't like that, Tony?" Abby looked skeptical.

"Loved every floral-scented, slick-as-butter, hangin-in-the-breeze _minute_ of it!" Tony replied, hoisting a panting McFlea into his hands. "My skin never felt so soft and I never smelled better. _God_, the Tri-Delts knew how to make a young freshman feel welcome on campus." He lifted McFlea to face him, then quickly took a whiff and held McFlea farther away. "Speaking of something that smells, McRomeo, you STINK! Bathtime for you when we get home, buddy. What the HELL have you been into?"

"He was trying to get away from KittyKate earlier and he fell into the trash can," Abby said. "We had pizza with extra garlic last night." McFlea made a little "ROOF" sound as Tony gagged. "This morning we had eggs."

"Well, tonight you're gonna have a bubble bath," Tony said, wrinkling his nose at his dog. McFlea's tongue hung out the side of his mouth. "Thanks for keeping him, Abs. Sorry he was so much trouble. Again."

"Aw, it's okay," Abby replied, patting McFlea's head. "He can't help it if he's a bad boy. What girl can resist a bad boy? KittyKate can't. Ziva can't." Abby chuckled, then made an 'uh-oh' face. "I mean... um..."

"'Night, Abby," Tony said, smiling at his friend as he exited with McFlea. KittyKate mewled sadly, watching McFlea go. McFlea whined back at her.

As Tony plunked McFlea into the passenger's seat, he shook his head and stared over at his smelly little black puppy, who sat looking back at him, head cocked to one side.

"Can't live with her, can't live without her, huh?" Tony said. McFlea lay down on the seat, watching Tony intently. He growled softly as he wagged his tail slowly and sadly. "Romance Rule No. 2, McFlea: No Matter What, Chicks Always Think Men Are Dogs." McFlea sighed, whimpering.


	41. I Like The Way

Title: I Like The Way  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; family  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva confesses what first attracted her to Tony. Then things get interesting.

**-------------------- I Like The Way ---------------------**

"C'mon, confess, Sweet Cheeks -- it was my eyes, right? My smile? My hair? My strong, noble chin? My incredible physique? Or just the total DiNozzo package?" Tony stuck his tongue out teasingly at Ziva as they lay on a blanket at the park, basking in the mild warmth of the autumn sun. Beside them, Baby Sarah snored softly, snuggled in her own little pink blanket, hugging Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe against her. McFlea dozed next to Sarah, Silly Monkey in his small jaws.

"Actually, it was..." Ziva paused, raising an eyebrow at Tony to enhance the momentary intrigue. She knew he hated having to wait for anything, especially anything that anyone had to say about him. Suddenly, she smiled and sat up, leaning down to pull Sarah's blanket up around her chest.

"What? WHAT?" Tony persisted impatiently. "The eyes, the smile, the hair, the chin, the hot body, WHAT?!!!" He clenched his jaw, frustrated with Ziva. Tony knew she was trying to irritate him.

"Tailoring," Ziva answered firmly, fixing Tony with her brown eyes. Tony stared back at her, clearly not understanding what she meant.

"Tailoring," he repeated, nodding his head. He laughed. "Ah... ha HAH! Yes... tailoring... Heh..." He grinned, pressing his lips together in a tight, thin smirk. "TAILORING?!!!" Tony snarled, looking incredulously at Ziva.

"Tailoring," Ziva reiterated. "Your clothes always fit you perfectly." She thought for a second, then continued. "In fact, you look good in anything you wear, Tony. Some men wear clothing that is too large for them or too small. But you have a knick for finding clothes that complement your body and I like that."

"A _knack_, my bride," Tony corrected. "And ... you really think so? I didn't think you noticed." He blushed, truly touched by Ziva's words.

"I notice everything about you, Tony." Ziva purred, lying back down beside him. Her brown eyes roamed the length of his body. "These jeans you are wearing," she said, nodding at Tony's well-worn Levi's, "are my favorites. I enjoy the special way they... hug your hips." Tony cleared his throat as Ziva's hand tugged at his belt buckle gently. "And I love this shirt on you," Ziva went on, running her hand up Tony's light russet button-down shirt, patterned with a design featuring little leaves in brown outline. "It is a perfect fit," she said, tracing her index finger along Tony's chest hair where the top of the shirt was unbuttoned.

Now Tony was getting aroused. He pulled Ziva to him, kissing her. The kiss began tenderly but soon turned into a passionate embrace, with Tony pushing Ziva down onto the blanket. He wanted to make love to her right there in the park, but knew it was impossible. And so instead they enjoyed one another as much as possible, with Ziva unbuttoning Tony's shirt so that she could run her hands through his chest hair and Tony pushing his hands up under Ziva's shirt in order to feel her skin - and her breasts - against his hands.

"Ziva," Tony gasped finally, "I love you, baby." He tried catching his breath, his lips inches above hers. "I need you so much." He whispered into her ear, barely able to control himself. "I need you right now." Tony kissed her neck, breathing in her scent.

"We can't, Tony," Ziva whispered back huskily. "Not... _here_."

Tony looked up, scanning the park for anyone else. He saw no one. He glanced over his shoulder to where Sarah and McFlea lay. Both were sound asleep. Growling, Tony leaned down and kissed Ziva hungrily.

"_Right here_," Tony panted. "_Right now._" He began unbuckling his belt and Ziva quickly moved to assist, unzipping Tony's jeans as he did the same for her. From there, everything became a blur of hands pushing denim, furtive maneuvering and hurried, intense lovemaking. Tony had never felt such a need to make love to any woman as he felt at this moment, holding Ziva as closely to him as possible. She clutched Tony, whispering her love for him right into his ear, her breath hot on his neck. Their time together took only a few impassioned minutes but to each the experience felt dreamlike and endless. Tony, dizzy with desire, didn't want to let Ziva go; he resisted letting their lovemaking come to its natural end. Finally, Ziva called to him softly, tears stinging her eyes as she moaned his name, and they relaxed together, completely spent and satisfied. Tony grunted as he moved off Ziva, his body sweaty. He panted as he quickly zipped his jeans, an uncomfortable move, and once again checked to make sure Sarah and McFlea were asleep.

"Oh... hell," Tony groaned. Ziva, who'd also been readjusting her clothes, sat up immediately.

"What? Oh NO! Is Sarah..." Ziva swallowed hard. This had been what she'd feared, that Sarah would awaken and see... them.

"She's sleeping," Tony sighed. "Our other baby's up." Ziva looked to where Tony stared and rolled her eyes. She flopped down onto her back, putting her hands over her eyes.

McFlea sat watching them, his head cocked to the right, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. He let out a happy little howl, making a soft "AROOOOOO" sound.

"_Voyeur_," Tony scolded, narrowing his eyes at his black puppy. McFlea scampered over to lick Tony's face. "Don't get any ideas, McHORNDOG, and try those moves on KittyKate, you hear me?" Tony scratched behind McFlea's ears. McFlea wagged his tail with joy. "And not a WORD of this to Sarah -- got it?"


	42. Maybe I

Title: Maybe I  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; family  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony tells Ziva why choosing Jeanne over her was never an option for him.

**-------------------- Maybe I ---------------------**

Lying together on the blanket, their sudden burst of desire having left them sleepy, Tony and Ziva let the late afternoon sun warm them. Baby Sarah, who'd had a good, long nap, now sat at her end of the large blanket, her own little pink baby blanket wrapped sweetly around Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe. McFlea and Silly Monkey, who had started out as Sarah's toy but had quickly become McFlea's property, lay at the toys' feet while Sarah babbled to her friends in baby speak. McFlea pricked up his little black ears, listening intently to Sarah. She said something that ended with "Doggy" and patted him on the head. He barked in reply, Sarah clapped and she next began speaking to Jenny, who she called "Raf." Her parents, trying to stay awake, watched their baby girl at play.

"She is growing up so fast," Ziva said. "It seems like only yesterday that we were putting her into the little baby bath, remember, Tony? She was so tiny then. Tony The Tiger was bigger than Sarah was."

"Yeah," Tony sighed. "She could sleep on my chest and it was like having a little pillow on me. Now she's so big and strong it's like I'm getting a piledriver from the Hulkster." He chuckled.

"Who is the Bulkster?" Ziva asked.

"The _Hulkster_. Hulk Hogan. Pro wrestler. Famous in the mid-'80s. Hulkamania? Yellow man-thong? Nothing, huh..." Tony smiled. "Ahhh, the Hulkster. That was premier entertainment at its finest." Ziva sat up, staring down at Tony. Her brown eyes narrowed as she studied his handsome face.

"And what is a poledriver?" she asked, frowning. Tony raised an eyebrow, gazing up at her. He grinned.

"_PILEdriver_. You've NEVER seen a pro wrestling match? Ever? They didn't show WWF on Saturday night over in Tel Aviv?" Tony snickered.

"I spent my Saturday nights doing pushups," Ziva replied.

"Well, so did I," Tony answered, "Usually on some hot, drunk sorority chick after a Buckeyes win." He stuck his tongue out at Ziva, who wrinkled her nose at him, smirking.

"Wasn't she the lucky girl?" Ziva shot back.

"Oh, indeed she was," Tony said.

"I am certain of that," Ziva replied, "since she likely could not remember anything that happened with you." She smiled primly at Tony and rolled over, sitting up to watch Sarah play. Tony growled and sat up, too.

"I love you," he said in all seriousness, looking over at Ziva. Caught by surprise at this, she turned to face him. Tony's green eyes sparkled. "I do. I love you, Ziva. I'm crazy about you. You're amazing, you know that?" Ziva blushed under his gaze.

"I love you, too, Tony," Ziva said, still a bit taken aback at the sudden turn of conversation. She smiled shyly. Looking down, she clapped her hands over her face, shaking her head. Then, looking back up at Tony, she grinned incredulously and said, with a laugh, "Okay, I have to ask: Where is this coming from so suddenly?"

"You're so different than every woman I'd ever been with," Tony said, continuing to stare lovingly at Ziva. "I mean, if I'd ever said anything about getting it on with hot sorority chicks to..." He stopped, looking down for a second, then continued. "If I'd said that to Jeanne, she'd have gone nuts. Asked me if I was trying to hurt her or something by telling her that. Gotten all upset and started crying or yelling at me." Tony thought for a minute. "She'd have told me to get out and not call her -- whatever, to see if I'd feel bad and say I was sorry -- and then she'd try to make me feel terrible or jealous or guilty. All that time I was with her, it was ... awful. I was surprised at how much she'd changed when I saw her here that day a few months ago, I really was. Because it was like she was a different person. I guess getting married changed her. But there was never any way I was gonna marry her, even if I acted like I wanted to or said I was thinking of it way back when. She drove me insane when I had to be with her, Ziva, and not in the way you do. You know what I mean. Jeanne just... she was clingy. Wouldn't give me room to breathe. With you, I don't want that space," Tony said. "I don't need it. I _like_ having you on my six. You did wonders for my six earlier, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said suggestively, stroking Ziva's cheek. She smiled, blushing as she thought of how they'd made love only a short while before.

Tony knitted his brow, thinking. "But yeah... after Jeanne left that day I saw her here, I remember thinking about how I got through all those months she and I were together when I was so miserable and was telling myself that I loved her when I knew, deep down, that I didn't." He smiled up at Ziva. "We'd kid around at work, you and me, and I'd say things to tease you and you never got mad at me, Ziva. You just gave it right back or you laughed it off. I always knew I could just be myself with you -- that I didn't have to pretend to be a guy I'm not. And I still don't have to do that." Tony sighed, raising both eyebrows. "I know I can be a pain in your..." he glanced over at Baby Sarah "...butt and I annoy the heck outta you more than any man oughta but I also know that no matter what, no matter how much of a jerk I am, you're gonna be there to love me." Tony took Ziva's hand and kissed it. "And I'm always gonna be here to love you, too. Don't ever worry about that. _Ever._" Ziva swallowed hard, fighting back tears.

"I will hold you to that promise, Tony," she said, sniffling a little as she wiped her eyes. She smiled brightly, leaning over to kiss Tony. He pulled her closer, taking the opportunity to kiss her deeply and passionately. Breaking away, Ziva said, "The last time this happened, McFlea saw his parents in a compromising position. And now Sarah is awake."

"Oh yeah," Tony replied huskily, fighting a sudden arousal. "Guess we'd better call it a day here and head on home... where there's a lock on the bedroom door to keep out sneaky little McMutts." At this, McFlea's ears pricked up and he barked. Sarah turned back towards her parents and giggled. Tony narrowed his eyes at them playfully.

"And what're YOU lookin' at?" he scolded jokingly. "_This_... is not a _free_ show." And with that, he pulled Ziva close again, kissing her fully and deeply. From the corner of his eye, Tony saw Baby Sarah clapping with glee. He winked at her, still kissing Ziva, and gave Sarah and McFlea a little wave. Ziva snickered, her lips playing against Tony's, and they fell back onto the blanket together, bursting into laughter.


	43. How To Live Alone

Title: How To Live Alone  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Tim M.  
Category: Friendship  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva and Sarah go to visit Eli, leaving Tony in charge of the house. And McGee meets McFlea.

**-------------------- How To Live Alone ---------------------**

They lay on the couch together, dirty and smelly, piles of pizza boxes stacked around them on the coffee table. Empty beer bottles littered the living room floor. The TV blared non-stop, college football games and anything featuring college girls in bikinis being the featured programming.

Finally, McFlea pawed at Tony's shoulder, yapping. He held his little red leash in his mouth.

"Again?" Tony groaned. "You just WENT!" McFlea barked and pawed at Tony again. "Okay, okay..." Tony grumbled, "Now I gotta put on pants!" He stood reluctantly, wearing only his baggy boxer shorts. Tony looked around for anything resembling blue jeans. "I oughta change your name to McWEE-WEE," Tony groused, pulling on the only clothes he could find -- his old Ohio State sweatpants. McFlea ran to the door, eager to get outside. Tony yawned, scratching his hairy chest, before bending down to snap on McFlea's collar and leash. McFlea panted, pawing at the door. "We're goin'..." Tony muttered, opening the door. McFlea lunged for the fresh air...

... and nearly knocked over a completely surprised McGee, who was just about to knock. Tony, jerked forward by McFlea who was looking for a place to relieve himself along the apartment hallway, came face-to-face with Tim.

"McFlea's gotta McPee, McGee," Tony quipped, not cracking a smile. His green eyes widened suddenly as he looked over Tim's shoulder at what his puppy was about to do. "McFLEA! NO! DOES THAT LOOK LIKE A FIRE HYDRANT?!!!" He raced to scoop up McFlea.

Tim stood, watching the scene. As Tony bolted down the building's stairs with his whimpering black puppy, McGee shook his head and entered Tony and Ziva's apartment. He gagged, the smell of stale pizza and smelly laundry overwhelming him.

"Why me?" Tim sighed, closing his eyes. "Why did I have to be the guy raised to always make a bed with perfect hospital corners?" He rolled up his sleeves and looked around. "Duty calls," he said, eyeballing the stack of pizza boxes.

* * *

Tony wrinkled his nose, sniffing the air the minute he entered the apartment. He frowned, doing a double-take.

"Something's wrong," Tony said to McFlea, who stood beside him, ears pricked as he, too, smelled the surroundings. "It doesn't stink in here." He looked around suspiciously. "PROBIEEEEEE!"

"You roared?" Tim emerged from the kitchen, wearing rubber gloves and an apron. He held a scrub brush in one hand and some Pine-Sol in the other.

"OK, Steve McClean," Tony snapped, "What've you done with last night's pizza? And the pizza from the night before that? And the night before THAT? I had dinner all planned out and now it's ruined."

"Tony, that stuff was inedible. The cheese had turned... orange." Tim gagged, sticking out his tongue.

"Waste not, want not, McMerryMaid!" Tony barked, pointing at Tim. McFlea yapped in response. Tony looked down at his dog. "You tell him, buddy. Go for the ankles, McFlea. Abby says he's ticklish there." McFlea panted and wagged his tail.

"I am NOT!" Tim protested. "And stop talking about me with Abby. Go watch your football game, Tony. I'll cook dinner. Man cannot live on orange cheese pizza alone." He turned his eyes towards McFlea. "Neither can dogs. Are you feeding HIM that junk, too?" McFlea lay down, whimpering.

"Hey, he LIKES pizza -- just like his daddy! And who made you McMaster of Our Domain? We can fend for ourselves. We're MEN!" Tony crossed his arms, giving Tim a smug grin. "You don't see ME cleaning the kitchen like Hazel the McMaid."

"Y'know, you're right," Tim said, taking the gloves off. He replaced the brush and cleanser under the sink. Facing Tony, he offered his friend a thin, tight-lipped smile. "Man up, Big Guy!" Tim slapped Tony's shoulder. "Pizza joint's taking orders!" Tim headed for the door. McFlea pricked up his ears, watching him leave, and scampered to his feet. He pawed frantically at Tim's legs, barking and whining as Tim started to exit. Tony ran to the door, blocking it with his body.

"Let me rephrase that," Tony said, pointing his index finger into the air as he thought of how he could make Tim stay. "What I meant to say was... Abby says you're a great cook, Probie. So ... mi casa es su casa! How's about makin' some McMagic in the ole kitchen here at Chez David-DiNozzo?" Tony pouted, sticking his bottom lip out for effect. He glanced down at McFlea, who was still going crazy at Tim's feet. "Look at him, McGee. Pitiful, isn't it? He's starved for the love and affection of someone besides me -- also for anything that doesn't smell like garlic and pepperoni." McFlea let out a loud bark and high-pitched whine. Tim reached down to hoist the puppy up. McFlea licked Tim's face desperately.

"Dinner," McGee said firmly, "will be served at eight. Sharp." He narrowed his eyes, wrinkling his nose at Tony, who stood before him wearing only his Ohio State sweatpants. Handing Tony McFlea, Tim continued: "You and Man's Best Friend here are ordered to hit the showers." Tony frowned, giving Tim an incredulous look. "MOVE!" Tim yelled. Tony grimaced, doing a double-take, and ran for the bathroom with McFlea, slamming the door behind him. McGee listened and heard the sound of the shower water running. McFlea barked happily despite Tony's muffled grousing about how HE didn't think he smelled THAT bad.

"Let's see Hazel pull that one off," Tim said to himself, grinning as he took out his cellphone. He hit a speed-dial number and waited. When he got an answer, he looked in the direction of the bathroom to make sure Tony was still gone. He was. So Tim spoke into the phone quietly.

"Hey, it's me. Look, I've got a big problem and you've gotta help me, OK? I'm at Tony's. I said I'd cook dinner because he's only been eating pizza and... yeah, I KNOW I can't cook but he says you told him I CAN, Abby!!!"


	44. Lazy Days

Title: Lazy Days  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D., Tim M., Abby S.  
Category: Friendship  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: When Tim can't handle Tony and McFlea, he calls in the big guns: Abby and KittyKate.

**-------------------- Lazy Days ---------------------**

McFlea raced out of the bathroom, a black blur as he zipped around the living room, drying himself in the newly freshened air of the apartment that Tim had recently cleaned. Tony soon emerged, toweling off. Tim, pacing around the kitchen, turned to see his friend strolling through the apartment wearing nothing but a huge smile.

"Oh my GOD, Tony!" Tim yelled, shielding his eyes from the sight. "For God's sake, cover up, man!" Tony frowned, looked down at his naked body, grinned again and finished towel-drying himself. He wrapped the towel around his waist.

"Sorry, Probie," Tony said, taking a carton of milk from the refrigerator. He sniffed it, retched, poured the contents into the sink and tossed the carton into the trash. "I was dryin' my go-betweens. Bein' au naturel is second nature for me. Had to give it up when the baby joined Team DiNozzo, though. But Ziva never complained. Heh heh heh..."

"Well, in my house, we came to the dinner table fully dressed," Tim replied, wrinkling his nose at Tony, who stood before him in the towel. "So go put some clothes on." Tony tossed his head back, laughing.

"Ha HAH! Clothes... So overrated, McNeatnik!" Tony sat down at the dining table, still wearing only his towel, leaning back as he spread his legs wide and sighed with satisfaction. "Now... what's on tonight's menu?" Tim's eyes popped.

"On the menu?" Tim repeated, walking over behind Tony. He pinched Tony's shoulder. Tony made a pained "AAAAAHHHH" sound, standing up suddenly. Tim barked orders. "UNDERWEAR! PANTS! A SHIRT! SOCKS! SHOES! DEODORANT! A SHAVE! COMBED HAIR! RIGHT NOW, DAMMIT!" Tony cringed, pulling up his towel. "I washed all your clothes, Tony. They're folded and put up in your drawers and hung in your closet."

"Even my most special undies that Ziva bought me for my birthday?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow at Tim.

"I washed those TWICE," Tim hissed. Tony glared at him.

"On 'gentle,' I hope," Tony snapped, heading towards the bedroom. "Ziva keeps them super-soft. Whenever I walk around in them, it's like having little baby ducks caressing my..."

"ENOUGH!" Tim yelled. "DRESS! CLEAN UP! OR NO DINNER!" Tony slammed the bedroom door behind him. Tim shook his head. McFlea barked, wagging his tail. "The stories you could probably tell," Tim said, kneeling down to pet McFlea on the head. McFlea lay down on the floor, whimpering.

* * *

"The cavalry has arrived! Chef Sciuto reporting for duty, sir!" Abby stood at attention, saluting Tim when he opened the door to Tony's apartment. Under her arm she held a sack of groceries. KittyKate lay like a shawl around her slim shoulders. They entered the apartment and when McFlea saw KittyKate his ears perked up and he ran to Abby, barking happily. His tail wagged joyously and he jumped around in excited circles. KittyKate jumped down off Abby's shoulders, pawing McFlea's face sweetly. She purred, happy to see McFlea. Abby smiled at Tim. "Look, Timmy! Love is in the air... and so is a lot of lemon-scented stuff. You CLEANED!"

"I did." A smug grin crossed Tim's face.

"I like." Abby began unpacking the groceries, taking a moment to watch as McFlea performed his new trick -- tossing Silly Monkey up in the air and catching him in his jaws -- for KittyKate. KittyKate flicked her tail approvingly.

"OK, McMom! I'm dressed, shaven and not a hair's out of place!" Tony yelled, entering from the bedroom. "Now ring that dinner bell, Chef Probie-ar-dee, because I'm STARVING!" He stopped, seeing Abby in the kitchen. "Abs! To what do you owe the honor of my presence this fine evening?" Tony stuck his tongue out at her, enjoying his turn of phrase. Abby raised an eyebrow at him, then rolled her eyes.

"He was walking around nude earlier," Tim whispered to Abby. "I think the lack of three-day-old pizza stink has affected his brain." They watched Tony do a little cha-cha dance move on his way towards the kitchen. In a falsetto voice he sang "I ... was made for DAAAAN-cin'..." KittyKate and McFlea slunk off to a far corner of the room with Silly Monkey, hiding from Tony.

"Ziva and Sarah are coming back when?" Abby asked Tim, whispering.

"Not soon enough," he replied in a low voice, shaking his head at the sight of Tony singing and shaking it across the living room.

"Timmy," Abby said in a soft, worried tone, "promise me you'll never, EVER let me get THAT lonely." She pouted, sticking out her lower lip sadly.

"Never," Tim swore. "If I ever sing a Leif Garrett song and bust out a disco move, you'll shoot me, right?"

"Can't," Abby replied, "But I'll have Gibbs do the honors." They pinky-promised on it and finished unpacking the groceries as Tony danced over to them.

* * *

After dinner, Tony toasted Tim and Abby with a cup of coffee. Tim returned the gesture with his own cup and Abby did the same with the giant Caf-Pow she'd brought along. KittyKate and McFlea, who'd enjoyed a healthy supper of organic gourmet cat and dog foods, now snacked on some special treats Abby brought just for them: Chocolate Puppy Puffs and Cocoa Cat Cookies. Tony eyeballed the box of Puppy Puffs.

"A fine meal, Abby," Tim said. "My compliments to the chef."

"Thanks, Timmy," Abby replied. "It's Gibbs' special recipe: Hobo Stew. Actually, he got it from Mike. And... I don't know who Mike got it from."

"Probably a hobo," Tony snarked. He picked up the Puppy Puffs box, plucked one of the little chocolate bones out, sniffed it, raised both eyebrows and took a sip of his coffee.

"So when are Ziva and Sarah coming home?" Tim asked Tony.

"Tomorrow," Tony answered, studying the ingredients list for the Puppy Puffs. "They're havin' a great time in Tel Aviv. Ziva said Eli's already talkin' about trainin' Sarah for Mossad. Gave her a specially-made baby beret. Ziva wasn't real thrilled but I think it's kinda cool. Sarah loves it, Ziva says. Won't take it off. Sleeps in it, even. Calls Eli 'Pop-Pop' -- her words are really comin' along now. Oughta be shootin' out that first sentence any day now." Tony's green eyes were fixed on the image of a dark "chocolate" bone smiling and waving on the Puppy Puffs box as he spoke.

Tony continued, somewhat absentmindedly:

"Good thing Ziva's gonna be back, too, because truth is, she wears the pants around here."

"Obviously," Tim muttered. Abby giggled into her Caf-Pow. Tony, playing with the Puppy Puffs box, didn't hear him.

"Without her, I'm nothing. When she's gone, this finely-tuned machine you see before you -- the Tony DiNozzo you know and love? -- the works get all gummed up." Tony stared at the dog treat box. "Without my ninja pulling the strings, the show cannot go on. The emperor has no clothes."

"None that are clean," Tim joked. Abby punched his arm, frowning. Tim winced. Tony continued gaping at the box, lost in his thoughts.

"Hey, Tony?" Abby said, "I'm gonna take McFlea home with KittyKate and me tonight, OK? He looks like he's kinda got cabin fever and..." She stared at Tony, who was still staring into space. "... you're wiggy, man. So I'll bring him back when Ziva and Sarah get home." She got up, kissed both Tim and Tony on their foreheads, gathered up KittyKate, McFlea and Silly Monkey and flitted off. Tim waved goodbye. Turning back to Tony, he frowned.

"You gonna be OK here? Because I can stay if you want me to." Tim, genuinely worried about Tony, wondered if his friend could handle another night without his wife and daughter. And now even his beloved puppy was gone to a happier place, getting a break from the lonely apartment. "Hey! Let's get outta here -- go grab a beer!" Tim offered Tony a goofy grin, nodding hopefully. He knew Tony needed fresh air.

"Sure," Tony replied, barely hearing Tim. "Beer's good."

"Great," Tim said, clearing the coffee cups from the table. "I'll call the Boss, Ducky and Jimmy -- see if they want to come along. Guys' night out! Be a lot of fun, Tony, you'll see." He headed to the kitchen.

"Fun," Tony said forlornly. He missed Ziva and Sarah terribly. And Abby 'rescuing' McFlea hadn't escaped him. Sadly, Tony reached into the box of Puppy Puffs, pulled out a little chocolate bone and munched it sadly.


	45. Gotta Have You

Title: Gotta Have You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo is reunited and not a moment too soon.

**-------------------- Gotta Have You ---------------------**

Stumbling into the kitchen, Tony nearly tripped over the dog bed that McFlea never used for actually sleeping at night.

Despite their best efforts, Tony and Ziva hadn't been able to keep him out of Sarah's crib and since she enjoyed having his company -- along with the regular Zoo Crew of Tony The Tiger, Jenny Giraffe and McFlea's favorite toy, Silly Monkey -- they'd finally given in and decided it was okay if McFlea eschewed his own bed for Sarah's. Ziva had noted that at least when McFlea was tucked in with Sarah to protect him he didn't spend all night long crying and howling because he was afraid of ghost cats.

So the family was all enjoying uninterrupted sleep under this arrangement and Tony had come around to being fine with it. Until almost falling face-first onto the living room floor when, dizzy with a hangover from Boys' Night Out with McGee, Gibbs, Ducky, Jimmy and Director Vance, who served as Designated Driver.

"My wife'll kill me if I come home drunk," Vance had said flatly the night before. Gibbs toasted him and complimented Mrs. Vance, who he genuinely liked and respected. Tony was surprised to see the Director smile -- just a bit.

"Yeah, I remember those days," Gibbs said, grinning. "Shannon didn't mind me drinkin'. Long as I called her for a ride home."

"Your own personal taxi, eh, Special Agent Gibbs?" Jimmy, feeling a bit bold, said with a huge smile. He removed the little umbrella from his fruity tropical drink.

"Wouldn't have wanted it any other way," Gibbs answered wistfully. Tony studied his craggy face. He now understood what Gibbs meant when he talked about married life, even though he and Ziva hadn't been a couple that long. Gibbs noticed Tony watching him, took a sip of his bourbon and asked his young agent, "Ziver and the baby comin' home soon, DiNozzo?"

"Tomorrow night," Tony replied sadly. Tim had ordered him a beer, but Tony hadn't touched it. He didn't feel like drinking. All he wanted to do, really, was be back at home in the bed he shared with Ziva. Since she and Sarah had been gone, Tony had let McFlea sleep with him. Now McFlea was at Abby's for the night, so no matter what Tony would be alone. But he missed his wife and daughter and at least in their apartment he could be near Ziva's books or Sarah's little toys.

"Tony," McGee said, grabbing Tony's shoulders, "they're gonna be home before you know it, OK? And it's gonna be fine. C'mon... cheer up! Ziva wouldn't want you being this miserable."

"Indeed," Ducky chimed in, adjusting his glasses. "I dare say Ziva is hoping that you've had some quality 'alone time,' Anthony -- some time to perhaps reconnect with yourself. As an individual, say, as opposed to seeing yourself in the context as husband and father." All of the other men at the table, Tony included, stared at Ducky. The good doctor picked up his scotch and defensively said, "I've been studying a book on marriage and the self that Jordan loaned me. Sniff at its premise if you will but I find it quite fascinating." He sipped the scotch, closing his eyes in defiance of his friends' looks. Gibbs shook his head and chuckled to himself. He gave Ducky a pat on the back.

"Yeah," Tony repeated, "Alone time. I've had a lot of that this week." He picked up the cold beer bottle. "Too much." Tilting his head back, he downed it in a long swig.

That was all Tony remembered as he caught himself on the kitchen counter after spinning across the living room, trying not to take a tumble. Now he fumbled in the cabinet for some pain medicine; he had a splitting headache.

_I know I started out drinkin' beer,_ Tony thought miserably. _Musta moved up the liquor chain._ Popping a couple of pills, followed with a glass of water, he sighed and headed back to bed. _Good thing McFlea's not here to see Daddy like this. My breath's worse than his would be right now._

When Tony awoke, the light streaming in the bedroom window was soft pink and purple. Coming to his full senses, he jumped out of bed in a panic. It was nearly 6 p.m.; Ziva and Sarah's plane had landed at 4:30. In his boxers, he raced to the living room and found...

... Tim and Abby helping Ziva and Sarah into the apartment with their luggage. McFlea yapped with joy at seeing them again and, when he saw Tony run into the room, he bounded over to greet him. Tony, still dazed and only half-awake, hoisted McFlea up and stood in the middle of the living room, shocked at the sight of Ziva and Sarah home again. He was too happy to move.

"DADDY!" Sarah yelled, seeing Tony. "DADDY! DADDY! DADDY!" Everyone stopped what they were doing. Ziva and Tony looked at each other, then at Baby Sarah, then at each other again and both burst forth with huge grins.

"She... She has never said 'Daddy' before," Ziva stammered to Tim and Abby, "Only 'Da-Da'..." Tony and McFlea made their way to Ziva and Sarah, hugging them.

"I'm so glad you're home, Sweet Cheeks," Tony whispered in Ziva's ear, kissing her tenderly on the lips. "I missed you so much, baby. Don't ever go away that long again, OK?" He then gave Sarah a sweet kiss. "Daddy missed you, too, Snugglepumpkin. And McFlea here couldn't hardly sleep at all, he was so lonesome." McFlea howled happily, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. Baby Sarah giggled as McFlea licked her face.

"MacFEE!" Sarah squeaked. Tony and Ziva laughed. "MOMMY! MOMMY! MacFEE!" McFlea barked at the sound of his name.

"Super-impressive!" Abby said. "When did Sarah start picking up all these awesome new WORDS, Ziva?"

"Apparently in the past five minutes," Ziva joked. She looked around the apartment, studying the surroundings, and sniffed at the air. Tony cringed. Abby and Tim quickly went back to fiddling around with the luggage. Baby Sarah, seeing her mother's actions, sniffed the air, too. Sarah and Ziva looked at each other, then looked at Tony. He smiled his biggest, toothiest grin. McFlea whimpered.

"I smell lemon," Ziva said, raising an eyebrow at Tony. Baby Sarah frowned at him. "Why did McGee clean our apartment?" Tim and Abby quietly slunk out the door. McFlea pricked up his ears, whining as they exited.

"There's a totally logical explanation for that, my ninja," Tony replied with a terrified smile, slowly backing up towards the bedroom door. "And I'll share it with you... just as soon as I can think of one -- that you might just believe."


	46. Everything's Right

Title: Everything's Right  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: The Ninjas are home, Man's Best Friend is back and Daddy's glad.

**-------------------- Everything's Right ---------------------**

Sarah nestled her head against Tony's shoulder, dozing as they swayed back and forth gently in the rocking chair. In Tony's lap, McFlea snoozed, letting out an occasional tiny snort, his black paws hanging limply against Tony's legs. Tony softly continued crooning one of Sarah's favorite little songs, "Rock-A-Bye-Baby," as she drifted off to sleep.

Finally, Tony carefully scooped up McFlea in his free arm, got out of the rocker and carried the tiny pair to Baby Sarah's crib, where the Zoo -- Tony The Tiger, Jenny Giraffe and Silly Monkey -- awaited them. After gingerly tucking Sarah beneath her warm pink baby blanket and McFlea at her feet under Silly Monkey's Mexican serape, Tony next placed Jenny Giraffe and Tony The Tiger on either side of Sarah under her blanket and Silly Monkey under McFlea's paw.

Tony watched Sarah and McFlea sleep for a short while. He stood over the crib, marveling at how much Sarah had grown. _Soon she's gonna need a baby bed,_ he thought to himself. Hairy Lion kept watch over the nursery from his post in the corner as he had since the first night Tony and Ziva had set up Sarah's room, first at Ziva's apartment and later at Tony's. The elephant nightlight bathed the room in the same soft glow she always had. Tony leaned down, kissing Sarah on the cheek.

"'Night, Snugglepumpkin," Tony whispered. "Daddy loves you. I'm so glad you're home." He pulled the blanket just a bit higher over Sarah's chest. She kicked once, then yawned and hugged Tony The Tiger against her. Next, he patted McFlea's head and said "Sweet dreams, little buddy. Daddy loves you, too." McFlea snorted in his sleep.

Tony turned to leave but just as he reached Sarah's bedroom door, he heard her tiny voice murmur the word "Daddy." Looking back, Tony saw that Sarah was sound asleep, just dreaming. Then he heard her say "Mama," turn over and hug Jenny Giraffe. All was well.

Next, Tony made his way to the master bedroom. Ziva, exhausted from the long airplane ride home from Tel Aviv, had gone to bed early and was dead to the world. She'd stopped snoring like a buzzsaw once they began seeing each other but tonight, being so wiped out, she was going full-tilt. Tony slipped into bed next to her and immediately felt every muscle in his body completely relax. He'd missed Ziva's presence in their bed so much during the week she'd been gone that he'd had a hard time sleeping in her absence. Even McFlea had tossed and turned in the bed with Tony, whimpering because he wasn't used to not having Sarah nearby.

Leaning over to plant a tender kiss on Ziva's cheek, Tony whispered, "Thank God you're home, Sweet Cheeks. I missed you so much. I love you, Ziva." He wrapped his arm around her and fell slowly into a blissful, deep sleep, dreaming only of his young family and the puppies, giraffes, lions, monkeys, elephants and tigers who loved and protected them.


	47. Wish I Could Forget

Title: Wish I Could Forget  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Gibbs babysits Sarah and McFlea while Tony and Ziva go to dinner and get a surprise.

**-------------------- Wish I Could Forget ---------------------**

"Gibbs, we cannot thank you enough for doing this on such short sight," Ziva said, handing her boss Baby Sarah and McFlea's leash. "Tony surprised me with dinner reservations tonight."

"It's short _notice_, honey," Tony gently corrected, "and I'm full of surprises, isn't that right, Boss?" He flashed Gibbs a huge, toothy grin.

"Oh yeah, ya got that right," Gibbs agreed, raising an eyebrow knowingly at Ziva. She covered her mouth, giggling. Tony frowned. "We're gonna have a big time tonight," Gibbs said, cradling Sarah in his arms. McFlea sat obediently at his feet, looking up at his master for the evening. "Saturday night football game's on. Bears-Steelers. Ya know who we're rootin' for, Sarah."

"Stee-wa!" Sarah squeaked happily. Gibbs smiled.

"That's my girl," he said, grinning. Unsnapping McFlea's leash with one hand in a smooth, easy motion, Gibbs looked down at the black puppy and said, "Go!" McFlea barked and trotted into Gibbs' house.

"How come he minds _you?_" Tony whined, watching McFlea take off. "I tell him to do something and he just looks at me."

"I'm the Boss," Gibbs said, smiling as he closed the door.

* * *

Tony fiddled with his tie at the intimate table he and Ziva shared in Central, the trendy French bistro at which Tony had snagged last-minute reservations for two. The seating was intimate only in the sense that the table was strictly for two people; the restaurant itself was packed. Ziva studied Tony over her wine glass.

"What?" Tony asked, his green eyes widening. "Have I got something on my face?" He wiped at the corners of his mouth with his hands. "My nose?" He tweaked at the tip of his nose with his right hand. "My hair? Is my hair weird? I knew I shouldn't have tried that conditioner McMopHead suggested. He's never had a good hair day in his lame McLife!" Tony smoothed at his hair with his hands. Ziva rolled her eyes, smirking.

"I love it when you wear a tie," she said. "You are twice as handsome when you get dressed for dinner, Tony."

"Yeah, well, I'm _four_ times as gorgeous when I get naked for dessert, Sweet Cheeks," Tony replied huskily. He took a sip of his wine, waggling his eyebrows at Ziva. She raised one eyebrow back at him, also taking a sip of wine. "But speaking of dinner," Tony went on, "what's your pleasure tonight, my bride? Besides piping hot Anthony a la DiNozzo, I mean." He ran his tongue along his teeth slowly, fixing his eyes on Ziva as he let out a little "Heh heh heh..." chuckle. She picked up her menu, hiding her face behind it. Tony's smile turned into a scowl. He took a menu and sulked behind it, studying the entrees.

After a short while, Ziva laid down the menu. The waiter appeared just then, asking if they were ready to order.

"I will have the skate sauteed in olive oil, with caper sauce," she said firmly. Tony, who hadn't made up his mind, grinned nervously.

"And she'd like the blade medium rare," Tony joked, snickering at his own gag. The waiter and Ziva both stared at him. "Skate?" Tony made a skating motion in his seat. "Skate? Get it? Skate?" Nothing. "Oooooh-kay..." He went back to studying the menu. "Gimme the lamb shank with creamy corn polenta. And I want that polenta extra-creamy and the lamb super-shankin'!" Tony grinned again, hoping this time he'd get some kind of reaction to his second joke. Again, nothing. "Hope the lamb isn't as tough as this _room_ is," he muttered, closing the menu. The waiter removed the menus, gave Tony a dirty look and exited. "He's gonna spit in my food," Tony growled, casting his own bitter snarl at the waiter as the man left.

"Well, what do you _expect_ when you make those silly jokes at a nice restaurant, Tony? Especially when you make them at a _French_ restaurant?" The voice, all too familiar, came from behind Tony. His shoulders tensed. He couldn't help it; despite their now-cordial relationship, he still felt nervous and awkward whenever he was in the presence of this voice. Ziva smiled politely at the speaker. Tony sighed imperceptibly, silently steeled himself and turned around.

"Jeanne! Heh-heh-heyyyy!" Tony forced a smile and a chuckle at unexpectedly seeing his former girlfriend yet again in Washington D.C. "Small world, huh? Or... small bistro, anyway." He fumbled with his tie yet again, uncertain of what to do. Should he stand? Hug her? He didn't really want to do that, even though he and Ziva enjoyed a nice dinner months back with Jeanne and her husband Alberto. Tony still didn't frankly enjoy being around Jeanne and he truly didn't like Jeanne being around Ziva, although the two of them appeared to get along. Finally, Tony glanced back at Ziva and mouthed the word "HELP!" silently.

Ziva got up and moved to give Jeanne a brief, but genuinely warm, hug.

"Jeanne, it is lovely to see you again. Why didn't you let us know you would be in Washington? We would have asked you to stay with us," Ziva said, honestly meaning that. Tony coughed into his wine glass, choking on the huge swig he'd just downed.

"Well, I didn't know I'd be in town myself, Ziva," Jeanne answered. "Alberto's home in Spain and I'm only here for the weekend. My mother is meeting me for dinner here tonight. She wanted to see me before the baby came."

"Yes!" Ziva said, smiling as she looked at Jeanne's small, rounded belly. "You are due in...?"

"About seven weeks," Jeanne replied. "Alberto and I are both ready for her to be born." Ziva grinned, elbowing Tony for a response. He'd been sitting at the table, gaping into space, stunned at the turn of the evening's events.

Tony, while happy that Jeanne was having a baby, forced another smile. Hearing Ziva talk with Jeanne about her pregnancy made Tony uncomfortable. He also felt guilty for being glad that Alberto was the man who'd ended up married to Jeanne, fathering her child. Tony was relieved, secretly, that he hadn't made the biggest mistake of his life by keeping up the charade of pretending to love Jeanne. She wanted them to someday get married, have kids, buy a house. And Tony wanted those things, too -- but he hadn't wanted them with Jeanne. Tony imagined how miserable he'd have been and how miserable, in turn, their children would have been having a father who didn't love their mother. And that would have been so unfair, he thought. He and Ziva had such a happy marriage, new as it was, and Sarah was their joy. Even their puppy, McFlea, was a beloved member of their young family.

"Congratulations, Jeanne," Tony said absentmindedly. "Gonna be a girl, huh?" He did a double-take when he turned around, realizing that he was now speaking to nothing but air.

"She has gone, Tony," Ziva answered, having retaken her seat at the table across from her husband. "Her mother arrived. I told Jeanne that you have not been feeling well this week, which is why you were not as talkative as you usually are. She appeared to believe me. Her mother did not appear thrilled to see you again." Tony looked as if he'd just been awakened from a deep sleep.

"Her mother hated me anyway," Tony muttered. "Guess I really was outta it because the cold chills down my spine shoulda let me know _Dragon Lady_ was standin' there with you and Jeanne and I didn't feel a thing. No wonder Alberto's back in Spain. He _is_ a smart guy." He frowned, sniffling. "Maybe I _am_ comin' down with something. Probie was sprayin' that cleanser goo all over the house when you were gone. I came home to a veritable lemon-scented McFog. Couldn't hardly breathe."

"Why didn't you speak to Jeanne? Tony, that was impolite," Ziva genuinely was unhappy with Tony's conduct. Tony sighed, sadly looking down at his fingers, which he tapped against the base of his wine glass.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'll apologize." Tony stared forlornly at the dregs of the red wine. "Ziva, it's just... I'm _never_ gonna be comfortable around Jeanne. I wish I could be. But it's weird. I wish I'd never met her, y'know? Because everything I had to go through ... with _her_ ... was ..." he took a deep breath "... I just hate remembering that period of my life. I was miserable. I wanted _you_ and I couldn't have you. Everything back then was just ..."

"I see," Ziva said softly. She reached across the table, taking Tony's hand in hers. "But we are together now. Everything has worked out for us. And for Jeanne. Be _happy_ for her, Tony. She is happy for us. She said goodbye to you before she left."

"Oh? What'd I say?" Tony asked, looking confused.

"You said, 'Mmmm...'," Ziva replied. She patted Tony's hand.

"Great," Tony sighed, cupping his chin in his other hand. He looked at Ziva with sad green eyes. She offered him a forgiving half-smile.

"Your entrees," the waiter intoned from over Tony's shoulder. He placed Ziva's dish before her, then Tony's in front of him. After pouring them both more wine -- red for Tony, white for Ziva -- he began to leave. Tony stopped him.

"Hey, I just wanted to say 'thank you' for the fine service this evening," Tony said sheepishly. "My wife and I have really enjoyed this night out here at your restaurant." The waiter looked surprised at first, then nodded politely at Tony and said "Merci" and took his exit.

Ziva toasted Tony and took a bite of her skate.

"How is it?" Tony asked, cutting into his lamb shank.

"Delicious," Ziva replied, wiping her mouth primly with the linen napkin. She watched as Tony speared a chunk of lamb and eyeballed it. "You are going to eat that, Tony, or send it to Abby for testing?"

"Still deciding," Tony said, winking at Ziva before finally popping the hunk of lamb into his mouth. Closing his eyes as he chewed, Tony savored this moment with his wife, his soulmate who he loved dearly. Later, after getting enough takeout dessert for the whole family to enjoy, they would pick up their baby girl and puppy and head home to their small but cozy apartment. Sarah and McFlea would share one piece of flourless chocolate cake, he and Ziva the other.

_This,_ Tony thought to himself, feeling Ziva once again caress his hand with hers from across the table, _is all any guy needs._


	48. Always The Last To Know

Title: Always The Last To Know  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva won't let Tony sneak snacks at the grocery store and Baby Sarah smuggles in McFlea. Uh-oh.

**-------------------- Always The Last To Know ---------------------**

"Sweet melons," Tony said huskily, running his tongue along his teeth as he eyeballed Ziva, who pushed the grocery cart slowly through the produce section. Baby Sarah sat in the top basket area, fiercely cuddling Tony The Tiger who was, today, all bundled up against the cold outside. He was so fully covered that neither Tony nor Ziva had seen his orange, stripey face peep out from Baby Sarah's pink blanket.

"Tony..." Ziva replied, cutting her husband a sharp look. Normally she enjoyed his teasing double-entendres but with Sarah picking up new words every minute of the day, Ziva wanted Tony to choose his words with more caution.

"What?" Tony asked, his green eyes wide. Turning towards Ziva, he held two small cantaloupes in his hands. He nodded down at them. "Sweet melons." He looked innocently into Ziva's dark brown eyes. "On sale, too." Ziva smirked back at him.

"Put them in," Ziva sighed, rolling her eyes. Tony was such a prankster, which she loved, and being in the grocery store always seemed to bring out his silliest side. She watched him like a hawk in this store, especially since they'd been asked to leave only a couple of months before when Tony had called out to her "Hey Sweet Cheeks, lookit this!" and then, riding the shopping cart like a small child would, crashed into a tall, intricately-stacked display of evaporated milk cans. To make matters worse, Tony, lying under the overturned cart with cans piled on him, had joked "Cleanup on aisle nine!" when the manager and stockboys stood over the ruined display. Ziva had personally returned just a week ago to ask the manager if they could again shop there provided that Tony never touched the shopping cart. And so the DiNozzo family was allowed to return on a probational basis.

"Probational basis," Tony had scoffed when Ziva told him of the agreement. "There's grocery stores all over D.C., honey! Who needs those highbrows at Fed Foods and their bright, shiny 'Aisles of Smiles'? Nobody was smiling last time we were there." He sniffed dismissively.

"That is because you destroyed the milk display," Ziva replied. "Also, you were taking free samples of everything in the store."

"Hey, they offered 'em!" Tony shot back.

"You were circling around to get thirds, Tony!" Ziva snapped. "I think they were well within their rights to tell you that a fourth sampling of the deli cheese tray was a bit beyond the pile!"

"Pale, my angel," Tony corrected. "And... I was hungry. If they don't want shoppers to snack, they shouldn't hand out little tempting morsels of cheese and bread and brownies and..." He smacked his lips. "When are we goin' shopping again?"

So now the family was back at Fed Foods with Ziva in control of the shopping cart and Tony on the short leash as they gathered what was on her list of essentials. Tony had been warned against his usual practice of slipping snacks into the basket when he thought Ziva wasn't looking. He'd tried recruiting Sarah to help him but she'd told him "NO, Daddy! BAD!" and put back all his sneaky snacks on the shelves. Tony snarled, realizing he was flying solo in his quest for treats.

As Tony schemed about how to get a box of King Kong Kakes into the cart while Ziva's back was turned, he noticed a small black snoot peek out of Sarah's pink blanket. It snuffed at the air. Next, it panted, its tongue hanging out the side of its mouth. Tony's eyes popped wide. _No! Not him! Not here! Not now!_ Tony thought, panicking. Baby Sarah giggled, patting the little sniffing nose. McFlea popped his black head out of the blanket, ears pricked up. Tony immediately pulled the blanket back down over McFlea's head, looking around to make sure nobody else in the store had seen the dog. He knew if Ziva found out McFlea was in the blanket, she'd go ballistic.

"SHHHHH! Sarah!" Tony admonished in a stage whisper, putting his index finger to his lips. "No telling about McFlea! Mommy will get MAD! We'll be in trouble with the STORE!" Baby Sarah's smile vanished. She nodded. Peeping into the blanket, she told McFlea in a whisper, "Shhh! McFee!" McFlea's tail wagged out from under the pink blanket. Tony rushed to cover it.

"Do we have everything we need?" Ziva asked brightly, turning back to the cart.

"And more," Tony laughed nervously. Sarah clutched her pink blanketed bundle to her. Its black snoot poked out, sniffing again, but Ziva didn't notice. Tony hurriedly placed a box of Puppy Puffs in front of it, flashing Ziva a toothy grin. Baby Sarah laughed, too, mimicking her daddy. Ziva eyed them both suspiciously.

At checkout, Ziva and Tony piled the groceries onto the conveyor belt. Tony waited until the last possible minute to remove the Puppy Puffs from in front of where Sarah sat. When he did, he was relieved to see only a pink bundle -- no black snoot sniffing around. Ziva paid the checker for the groceries and Tony quickly said "I'll get the groceries out to the car, Sweet Cheeks, while you finish up here" and rushed out the door with Sarah, the pink bundle, the bags and the cart. After placing the bags in the trunk, Tony loaded Sarah and the stowaway McFlea into the baby seat and let out a huge sigh. McFlea once again popped his black head out of the blanket, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. Baby Sarah giggled with joy. McFlea howled, obviously happy.

"Listen, Snugglemuffin," Tony said, fastening his daughter into the baby seat as he set McFlea next to her, "Daddy knows you love McFlea and Daddy does too. Daddy wishes he could go everywhere with us all the time. But dogs can't go to the grocery store. The grocery store is just for people; it's not for dogs, OK?" Sarah frowned. "Hey, I don't make the rules. I just follow them... sometimes." Tony made sure Sarah was secure in the seat and turned his attention to McFlea. "And YOU," he said. "I bet Sarah didn't think this up all by herself." McFlea cocked his head to one side, looking quizzically at Tony. "Don't gimme that look. Every time we come home from the grocery store, you drool like a McFool tryin' to sneak into the food bags. Guess today you thought you'd just skip the middleman and eat off the shelves, huh? Well, nice try, McFlea J. DiNozzo, but you got McSCHOOLED! Ha HAH!"

"And YOU do not think YOU are in trouble, Tony?" Ziva's voice, coming from behind Tony, made him jump. He bonked his head on the top of the car door opening. Baby Sarah hid her face with her little hands and McFlea whimpered, diving for safety under the pink blanket. "We could have been banned from the store AGAIN!"

Tony turned to face her, rubbing the fresh knot on his head.

"I didn't know McFlea was hidin' in Sarah's blanket!" Tony argued.

"Answer ONE question for me, then, Tony!" Ziva demanded, pointing her finger into his chest. "Just ONE question!"

"Fine! Let's have it!" Tony snapped back, narrowing his eyes.

"What does the "J" in McFlea J. DiNozzo stand for?" Ziva crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at her husband, awaiting her answer.

Tony glared at her defiantly for a minute before replying.

"That, my ninja," he said in a half-whisper, "is for you to figure out... and to tell me when you come up with something."

Striding around to the driver's side of the car after letting Ziva into the passenger's seat, Tony got inside, started the engine and looked over at Ziva.

"And my King Kong Kakes had better be in one of those bags," he sniffed.

"They are not," she replied. "I told you no extra snacks."

"Well, then," Tony whispered bitterly. He snapped the radio on to an Ohio State game. "I still have the Buckeyes." When the score came on and Ohio State lost, Tony turned off the radio. Ziva patted his thigh tenderly.


	49. Spectacular Views

Title: Spectacular Views  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva house-hunt.  
**  
-------------------- Spectacular Views ---------------------**

Walking through the small 1940s-era home north of Washington D.C., Tony and Ziva listened as the real estate agent pointed out its most charming features: the authentic wooden flooring, which was the original floor laid when the home was built; the easy flow from room to room, meant to give the cozy house a more open feel; the stone fireplace, another original feature. After asking if they liked the home, the agent left Tony and Ziva to look around the little house while he took a cellphone call outside.

"What do you think?" Ziva asked as Tony studied the fireplace.

"I think we could _really_ heat up this old room, Sweet Cheeks," Tony answered, a sexy grin playing at his lips.

"Oh yes," Ziva said, smiling, "if we built a fire."

"Huh? Yeah... sure." Tony replied absentmindedly. "A fire. Right. That'd work, too." Ziva rolled her eyes and walked off to look at the kitchen area. Tony frowned at her reaction and then followed her to the smallish room. "So, my bride, can you whip up the kind of gourmet meals I've grown accustomed to here? It's not exactly a five-star kitchen but we can improvise. Tell you what -- I'll just start eating more snacks. Oh, it'll be tough, giving up all those healthy steamed vegetables, but I'll make the sacrifice. Anything to keep peace in the family."

Ziva smirked at her husband.

"Speaking of peas, we will have them for dinner tonight. With baked chicken." She opened the oven door, examining the appliance. Tony made a "yuck" face, sticking out his tongue as he frowned.

"But it's SATURDAY!" he whined, "The _Buckeyes_ are playin' tonight! I gotta have pizza and the Buckeye Brew I had overnighted from Columbus!" Tony pointed to the white block "OHIO STATE" lettering on his red sweatshirt. "It's Game Day tradition, Lamb Kisses! Baked chicken and peas are what MICHIGAN fans tailgate with and you see how THEIR season's goin'!" Tony snickered. "Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of sneering little blue and yellow..."

"You want pizza and beer _every_ night, Tony," Ziva interrupted, now looking over the new refrigerator/freezer that was included with the home.

"Yes I DO! Because what you see before you," Tony argued, thumbing his chest, "is a finely-tuned system, my ninja! Look, you can't just run the 'Stang out there," Tony pointed to his vintage '66 Mustang, parked at the curb, "on whatever junk gas is on sale! It needs PREMIUM fuel, special motor oil. Ziva, I'm like my Mustang; I need my pizza and my beer to keep on runnin' smooth. Baked chicken and peas gums up the works! Goes against everything my system intake was built for! It's un-American to feed a man healthy things on college football Game Day." He leaned back against the kitchen counter, looking down. Tony shook his head sadly. "Even me bein' here, checkin' out this house? It's unconstitutional, my bride. But I'm taking these chances to keep that sweet, sweet smile on your pretty face, y'know?" He glanced up at Ziva, green eyes sparkling.

Ziva stared at him, unsmiling.

"Yes, that's the smile I so love," Tony said. He moved his index fingers to the corners of Ziva's mouth, trying to manipulate her lips into a little smile. She stood stock still, continuing to glare at him. Tony fiddled with the sides of her mouth for a few more seconds and then stopped, saying, "Well, I know it's in there. Somewhere. Deep... _deep_... down inside." He gulped with fear, quickly tucked his hands into his jeans pockets, turned and high-tailed it towards the front porch area, taking a seat on the large hanging swing in the crisp, cold autumn air. After a while, Ziva joined him.

"You are right," Ziva said softly. "We should not have come to see this house today. It was a mistake." She stared down at the stone pattern of the porch floor.

"Huh?" Tony asked. "A mistake? Honey, what're you talkin' about? This place is great! I _like_ it. What's wrong?"

"It _is_ a nice house. But we cannot afford it." Ziva sighed. "Tony, we just got married. We just became Sarah's parents -- legally." She studied the small front yard forlornly. "Perhaps we are drinking down more than we can swallow." Tony put his arm around Ziva's slim shoulders, hugging her to him.

"Biting off more than we can chew," he sweetly corrected.

"Yes, that too," Ziva replied, nestling her head against Tony's chest. Tony grinned, pushing her black hair back so he could kiss her on the forehead.

"Hey, we didn't sign any papers so what's the harm in looking?" Tony now gave the little gated front yard and surrounding neighborhood of close-set 1940s homes another perusal. "And I really do like this little house. Neighborhood seems nice. Gotta front and back yard for Sarah and McFlea to play in." Tony frowned. "Then that mutt really WILL start pickin' up McFleas. Plus every girl cat for miles around. It's just the boy cats that hate him. He's a chick magnet, he is. Like his old man. It's a DiNozzo man thing, Ziva... Can't be helped. But I digress... The house is nice, honey, and we could afford it. Look, we'd just have to..."

Tony's voice trailed off. He stared at the house next door, where a family was in its yard changing their Autumn house flag to a new flag. The man and woman wore matching monogrammed cardigans. The son and daughter, elementary school age children, carefully folded the old flag and took it into the house, their white dog (who wore a pink sweater) trotting primly behind them. The man climbed a small stepladder and started to unfurl and hang his new flag but stopped, seeing Tony and Ziva sitting on the porch of the home next to his.

"Hiya!" he called out jovially, waving. "Welcome to the neighborhood!" His wife, eyeing Tony and Ziva with a mix of curiosity and disdain, offered a small, tight wave. Tony and Ziva smiled and waved back.

The man hung his flag. On a dark blue background, a huge yellow block "M" stood out. Tony's eyes popped. Ziva snickered.

"Then again, nice as this place is," Tony said, snarling, "maybe we oughta keep looking around."


	50. A Real Fine Place To Start

Title: A Real Fine Place To Start  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and McFlea take another look at the little house and meet their prospective neighbor.

**-------------------- A Real Fine Place To Start ---------------------**

"Whaddaya think, buddy? There's a front lawn and a backyard and a front porch and a back deck and even a couple of trees for you to..." Tony frowned as McFlea made a beeline for a big oak in the backyard and lifted his little black leg. "...mark your territory. But you got that down already." McFlea finished and scampered back to his master, panting happily. "ALL this could be ours!" Tony said in his best "game show host" voice.

McFlea let out a little howl, wagged his tail and, in a trot, followed Tony around the house to the front porch. Tony took a seat on the swing and McFlea jumped up beside him. He lay down, putting his little head in Tony's lap. Tony petted McFlea behind the ears as he surveyed the neighborhood. His gaze settled on the house next door, sporting its giant blue flag with the huge block "M." Tony snarled.

"Hiya!" A man's voice startled Tony.

Looking to his right, Tony saw the man who owned the home -- and the flag -- opening the little gate to the house he was again examining. He and Ziva had visited other homes but this one was their favorite. Today he'd been running errands with McFlea and decided to drop by and see if McFlea liked the yard. He hadn't expected to see anyone from the neighborhood but it was a Saturday so he guessed that the man next door was curious about a stranger walking around the yard of the empty home.

The man made his way onto the porch. McFlea lifted his head, pricking up his ears.

"Can't stay away, eh? Looks like we'll be neighbors soon enough, I guess!" The man, about Tony's age, had blond hair, blue eyes and an impossibly brilliant tan. He flashed a broad smile. His teeth were shiny and perfect. Tony smiled back. "I'm Brad Brannon." He offered Tony his hand, which Tony took. Brad shook it a little too firmly for Tony's taste. Tony rubbed his hand, which ached, and tried to remain polite.

"Tony DiNozzo. Good to meet you... Brad." Tony looked up at the porch ceiling."Yeah, it's a nice little house," he said. "My wife and I like it more than the others we've looked at. But we're still deciding." He patted McFlea's head again. "Me and the hound were out on the town so I thought I'd bring him by and see if he approved of the surroundings." Tony looked at a little flowering plum tree in the front yard that McFlea had marked upon their arrival and added, "He loves the place. Big fan of the trees." McFlea yawned and let out a little yap.

"Yes, well... What kind of dog is _he?_" Brad asked, nodding disdainfully at McFlea. "_We've_ got a dog, you know. She's a _Pomeranian_. AKC-registered. Took "Best In Show" in her breed a couple of years ago but we retired Muffsy from the circuit after that. Not enough room in the house for all her awards, you know," Brad laughed. Tony raised his eyebrows, forcing a smile. McFlea panted, letting his tongue hang out the side of his mouth. Brad frowned, giving McFlea another once-over. It was obvious to Tony that he didn't like what he saw.

"McFlea here is a McMutt -- some kind of Lab/Terrier mix, the vet says." Tony gave McFlea a big, wet sloppy kiss on his fuzzy black forehead. Pulling his puppy into his lap, Tony scratched McFlea's belly and McFlea yowled with pleasure, kicking out his leg and slobbering with joy. "We were thinkin' of entering him in the Puppy Puffs Howl-O-Ween Fetch Festival but I missed the deadline for sending in the application form. My wife thinks he woulda won. He's a howler, alright. Fetches like a champ, too. Dont'cha, boy?" McFlea panted in response. Disgusted, Brad winced.

"A howler? Oh..." Brad looked concerned. "Well, I hope he's not too loud. We've got a quiet neighborhood here. No crazy parties or anything like that. Scheduled play dates for the kids, scheduled times at the dog run, scheduled cookouts at the park..."

"Scheduled time to set the schedule?" Tony joked, only half-kidding.

"How did you know?" Brad answered seriously. Tony's eyes went wide.

"So..." Tony said, changing the subject, "... you're, uh, really into the whole 'wave a big flag' thing, huh?" He nodded towards the blue flag mounted outside Brad's house. Brad beamed with pride.

"Michigan '92," Brad said, lifting his chin slightly. "Whole family bleeds Big Blue. My side and the wife's side. I ran point for the Wolverines my whole four years there." Brad smiled his shiny smile. "NCAA Final Four. Big Ten champs. Had to beat Ohio State to get there. Had this Buckeyes point guard running up on me one season, annoying guy -- real hairy and sweaty, smelled like garlic -- wasn't such a great player but he just would NOT back off. Worst game of my life! I'll never forget it -- guy wore Number..."

"... Thirteen. Caused you to foul out of the game. You screamed at the refs and you AND your coach both got technicals. Number Thirteen shot four free throws and sank 'em all for the Bucks. Ohio State tied it up then and Michigan only won on a foul in the next 10 seconds when your center nailed one of two free throws. One point. You beat the Buckeyes by _one lousy point._" Tony's green eyes blazed. Brad studied him, shocked at what he'd just heard.

"That's right," he said. "Were you at the game?"

"Oh yeeeeaaaaaah..." Tony answered. "I was Number Thirteen -- _Brad_." He stood up from the swing to face Brad. McFlea whined, pricking up his ears. Brad narrowed his eyes at Tony, who followed suit.

"Ah, yes," Brad sneered. "I thought I smelled garlic -- _DiNozzo._ Well, best of luck affording this place on whatever salary an Ohio State guy pulls down." He glared down his nose at Tony. "Which means, I suppose, that we won't be neighbors after all. What a darn shame." Tony grinned back at Brad.

"Hmmm..." Tony muttered, putting on his most "thoughtful" expression. "Since _you're_ livin' here on the kind of money a Michigan Man makes, I oughta have enough left over after payin' my mortgage each month to buy my lovely bride that membership in Glock Of The Month Club that she's been talkin' about. And knowin' her, she'll get all misty-eyed when that first newsletter from Glocks-R-Us comes in the mail. Oh, it'll be a hot time in the ole 'hood that night, lemme tell you!" Tony snickered, raising an eyebrow. Brad shuddered, turning pale. Tony made a little pistol shape out of his right hand and said "POW!" before turning up his index finger and blowing on it. He offered Brad a huge, toothy grin.

_"When_ my wife and I move in," Tony replied, "we should reeeeeally have you and the Mrs. over for drinks sometime, _Brad_. We _won't._ But we _should_." He folded his arms across his chest. "Now... get off my front porch." Brad sniffed, turned, shot Tony another dirty look over his shoulder and stalked off. Tony watched Brad march home, throw one final threatening glare his way and slam his front door when he went into his home. Tony, a smug grin on his face, relaxed with McFlea on the swing. McFlea sat up and barked with authority in the direction of Brad's house, his ears still pricked as if on guard.

"Yeah, he's gone now, McCujo," Tony sighed, rolling his eyes at McFlea's display of bravado. "Hope you can hold your own against the show dog." Hearing this, McFlea lay down and put his head in Tony's lap again, whimpering. Tony whipped out his cellphone, hit a button and waited. "Sweet Cheeks?" he said when Ziva answered, "I think we've found our house. And, boy -- are you gonna _love_ our new neighbors."


	51. All Good Things Pt 1

Title: All Good Things  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's an NCIS Family Thanksgiving. Tony and Ziva are... well... running late. Part 1 of 2.

**-------------------- All Good Things ---------------------**

"Ziva, you sure Abby's right about this? We've never had Thanksgiving... there before." Tony helped Baby Sarah snap McFlea's special orange Thanksgiving collar around his neck; the words "GOBBLE GOBBLE" were embossed on it all around in brown. McFlea panted happily, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. Sarah hugged him, murmuring "Gobbo Gobbo McFee..." as she giggled. McFlea barked, hearing his name. "Honey!" Tony called out, "The baby's startin' to READ! She's readin' McFlea's collar!" Hoisting Sarah into his arms, Tony gave his baby girl a big kiss. "Daddy's so proud of you, Snugglepumpkin -- all your new words and reading... You're the smartest girl I know. Next to Mommy. And Aunt Abby." Sarah kissed Tony back and gave him a huge hug. They went into the bedroom, where Ziva was getting dressed.

"Sweet Cheeks..." Tony said, staring in awe at his wife, "... you look beautiful." Although attire for the day was casual and Ziva had chosen a form-fitting forest green sweater and dark grey woolen slacks, Tony found himself immediately aroused by the simplicity of her outfit. This was one of the things he most loved about Ziva; there was nothing false about her -- she didn't need to primp or preen to look lovely and she never tried to be anything she wasn't. Jeanne had always made him wait before their dates while she re-fixed her hair or makeup or changed her dresses because she wasn't satisfied. She never felt comfortable with how she looked or the image she presented to strangers, friends, anyone. Ziva knew who she was, liked that person and wasn't concerned with others' opinions of her, except for the opinions of those she most dearly loved and respected. This, to Tony, was irresistible and wholly sexy. It was also why he'd always been close to Kate and Paula. They weren't fake, either. He'd wasted too much of his life with women like Jeanne who put on false fronts.

Ziva, looking for a suitable pair of shoes, stared quizzically at Tony over her shoulder.

"You are joking, right?" Tossing her black, curly hair aside, she smiled wryly at him, winking at Baby Sarah. Sarah responded by saying "Mommy!" with a little wave. McFlea scampered into the room, making a beeline for Ziva's shoes. He sniffed at them. "Thank you for the help, McFlea," Ziva said, eyeballing the puppy curiously. McFlea continued snuffling happily down the line of Ziva's shoes, his nose going a mile a minute. At last he got to a pair of Tony's running shoes, took a big whiff and jumped back, whining as if in pain. Ziva laughed as Baby Sarah, who noticed, held her little nose. Tony snarled in McFlea's direction.

"Serves you right for smelling my McFeet!" Tony growled at McFlea, who cowered in a corner far from Tony's sneakers. Tony pointed to the living room. "Out, McSpot!" McFlea high-tailed it from the bedroom. Tony carried Sarah into the living room, put the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the big-screen TV and set her down in her playpen with the Zoo. He hoisted McFlea into the netted safety playpen so he could play with Sarah, gave his baby girl a bottle and snacks and left her at play with McFlea and her favorite toy animals. She sang along in baby babble with the Christmas songs on the TV.

Closing the bedroom door softly behind him, Tony watched Ziva continue to look for a pair of shoes. At last, she turned and noticed him staring.

"I put Sarah and McFlea in the playpen," Tony said quietly, grinning. He sat down on the bed. "To give us some time alone."

"We are supposed to be there by noontime, Tony," Ziva replied, knowing what her husband was thinking. "It is 11:30 now. We will be late if we do not step over it."

"Step _on_ it," Tony corrected huskily. "Then I'll skip the defrosting and just put the stuffing right in the oven," Tony murmured, pulling Ziva down onto the bed and into a passionate kiss.

* * *

"You," Abby said, answering the door, "are _late_, Team DiNozzo!" She blocked the entryway, pursing her lips and crossing her arms. "Explanations! Now!"

"Abs..." A voice from behind Abby softly interjected. Abby's eyes widened. She let out a little "eep" sound and hastily moved aside.

"Boss!" Tony chirped, smiling broadly. "Happy Thanksgiving!" Baby Sarah, in Tony's arms, squeaked with joy at seeing Gibbs.

"Habby Taygibby!" she said, reaching out for Gibbs. His icy blue eyes brightened and he took Sarah from Tony, grinning.

"Pickin' up some new words," Gibbs said with a wink. Ziva leaned over, giving Gibbs a peck on the cheek.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Gibbs," she said, smiling. "Thank you for having us to dinner."

"It's a day for family, Ziva," Gibbs replied. He looked down at McFlea, who sat obediently at Tony's feet, staring up at Gibbs. "Yeah, that means you, too," Gibbs said. McFlea wagged his tail. Gibbs nodded his head towards the open door. "Go on. Git in there." McFlea barked in response and trotted inside. "Good dog," Gibbs said to Tony.

"More like an Oscar-worthy performance right there, Boss," Tony snarked. "McShowoff..." Ziva narrowed her eyes at him as they went inside. "Hey, Boss!" Tony called out, "I brought all the fixin's for an old family Thanksgiving specialty -- Dressing DiNozzo! Gonna be the best you ever tasted! Ha HAH!"

"You're cookin', Tony?" Gibbs said, looking skeptical. Baby Sarah hid her face in his shoulder.

"You bet, Bossman! It's my first Thanksgiving as a husband and father! Where's that stove, Boss? Lemme AT it!" Tony grinned, rubbing his hands together eagerly. Gibbs stood in front of him, his ice-blue stare fixing Tony's sparkly green eyes.

"One scorch mark anywhere in my kitchen, DiNozzo, and it's gonna be your LAST Thanksgiving." Gibbs' voice was barely above a whisper. Tony smiled, then grimaced and gulped. Baby Sarah shook her head, patted Tony on the shoulder and said "Sowwy Daddy..." Gibbs gave Tony one more fierce look before walking off with Sarah, cooing something about watching the BIG football game. Tony heard Sarah squeak "FOO-baw!" and giggle as Gibbs strode off with her to his living room, where the rest of the NCIS family was snacking on hors d'oeurves around the TV.

"Son, you're in a tight spot," a man's voice, from over Tony's shoulder, intoned. "I'm gonna send in reinforcements. Elite special forces."

McGee popped out from the living room, a goofy grin on his face. Abby stepped up beside him, saluting as she stood at attention. Director Vance moved around from behind Tony, reviewing the assembled group.

"At ease, Miss Sciuto," he said to Abby. She loosened up, letting out a "Whew! Thanks, Director!" in the process. Director Vance paced back and forth, considering the trio of Tony, McGee and Abby. "Now I'm going to go watch the Lions lose this football game with Gibbs, Ducky, Ziva, Sarah, Jimmy, that dog of yours, DiNozzo, and my kids," he said flatly. "So I'm leaving the three of you in good hands. I trust that in my absence you'll follow my associate's orders without question." Tony, McGee and Abby nodded.

The Director's wife entered the room. She crossed her arms and looked at the group she'd be working with.

"Now then... let's get this party started," she said. Director Vance smiled, kissed his wife's cheek, gave Tony a stern look and headed off. The trio looked at each other, looked at Mrs. Vance and all grinned nervously.


	52. All Good Things Pt 2

Title: All Good Things Pt. 2  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's an NCIS Family Thanksgiving. Tony eats too much. Part 2 of 2.

**-------------------- All Good Things Pt. 2 ---------------------**

When the NCIS Family sat down at the table, with Gibbs at the head and Vance at the other end, Abby was beside herself with unadulterated holiday spirit.

"Everyone's together!" she chirped, taking her seat by Gibbs. "It's a Thanksgiving miracle!" Gibbs stared at her for a moment with his ice-blue eyes before shaking his head and breaking into a smile.

Across from Abby, Ducky fiddled with his Thanksgiving bowtie. Little turkeys made up the pattern. Beside Ducky, Dr. Jordan Hampton sat. She patted Ducky's hand and he smiled. Seated next to her, Jimmy Palmer, who'd asked Special Agent Nikki Jardine to come along as his date, grinned. Nikki put on her special holiday anti-germ gloves. After having inspected the food preparation personally, she'd decided that since it was Thanksgiving she would dispense with her usual macrobiotic self-prepared meal and just eat with the gang. When Jimmy was around, Nikki threw caution to the wind. Beside Nikki, Director Vance's son sat, with his mom taking her place next to the Director.

Beside Abby, McGee smoothed his Thanksgiving sweater. He was proud of having lost 15 pounds and Abby grinned at him. Ziva sat beside Tim, Tony held court next to her and Baby Sarah sat in her high chair beside him. Director Vance's daughter entertained Sarah at her place beside her father.

"Director," Gibbs said softly as the group joined hands, "would you do the honors?"

Vance grinned, bowed his head and offered the Grace.

* * *

After dinner, Tony lay moaning and groaning, stretched out on the couch in Gibbs' den, the TV movie marathon of "A Christmas Story" going in the background. His eyes were glazed over in what Abby termed a "pie coma." Baby Sarah sat on her daddy's lap, poking at his little gut as she gleefully cooed "Gobbo Gobbo Daddy" over and over.

McFlea and KittyKate lay curled up in front of the den fireplace, snoozing together. They were exhausted from playing all day and eating too much of the special turkey-and-cranberry-flavored pet food Abby brought just for them. Ducky, Jordan, Jimmy, Nikki, Abby, McGee and the Director's son and daughter played "BrainBuster," a fun-for-all-ages board game that Jimmy had thoughtfully brought along.

The Director, Mrs. Vance, Ziva and Gibbs sipped red wine in the formal living room.

"Good wine, Leon," Gibbs said, toasting his boss. "Much appreciated."

"Wish I could take the credit for choosing it, Gibbs," Vance said, grinning. He nodded at Mrs. Vance. "Jackie's always had a knack for making the best selections."

"Now, Leon Vance, you know you're not only still talking about that wine," Mrs. Vance said playfully, winking at Gibbs. He chuckled. "And how are you enjoying married life, Ziva? Looks like the honeymoon's still going strong." Ziva smiled at Mrs. Vance and took another sip of her drink.

"Tony and I are very happy," Ziva said. "But we are still figuring out some things -- like who gets control of the remote and when. Tony says it is un-American for the man not to channel-smurf. I believe the point is to find a show you like and stop, is it not?" Gibbs and the Vances shared looks at the phrase "channel-smurf" but said nothing.

"Honey, if you win that battle, they oughta build a statue in your honor," Mrs. Vance said, giving the Director a sideways glance.

"Gibbs, I'm starting to think we may be outnumbered here," Vance said. "Your call on our strategy." He smiled at Gibbs.

"Retreat, sir," Gibbs said, grinning. "Think that's our best option at this point."

* * *

Driving home, Tony tuned the radio to a station playing Christmas classics. Ziva patted his thigh tenderly from the passenger seat. In the back seat, McFlea dozed, letting out little growls from time to time. Baby Sarah snoozed in her car seat, bundled in her little pink blanket.

"Tony," Ziva said, "where is your belt?" She eyed the waistband of his corduroy pants. Tony shifted uncomfortably.

"Took it off after that third helping of Dressing DiNozzo," Tony replied. "Thanksgiving tradition, my bride -- the loosening of the pants, the unbuckling of the belt, the undoing of the first button... all fine American holiday pastimes, Sweet Cheeks."

"And gaining 15 pounds from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, I suppose, is another 'fine American pastime'?" Ziva countered.

"Listen to you, making light of our homespun traditions, Butter Lump. How it hurts my heart to hear the sarcasm dripping from your voice." Tony sighed and made a production of shaking his head sadly. "Where is your holiday spirit, my elfin ninja?"

"If your heart hurts, Tony," Ziva replied, "it is probably because you went back for thirds of Dressing DiNozzo!" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Exactly what was in that... concoction of yours, anyway?"

"Cornbread... chicken stock... celery... onions... poultry seasoning... salt... pepper... butter... eggs... garlic..." Tony paused.

"Garlic?" Ziva said. "Who puts garlic in dressing?"

"I do!" Tony answered defensively. "Along with the secret ingredient!"

"And what is that?" Ziva asked, halfway afraid to find out.

"Love," Tony replied, glancing over to wink at his wife.

Ziva stared at him a minute, smiled and patted Tony's thigh again. They drove home in silence, enjoying the music on the radio, the drowsy growls of a puppy and the occasional snoring of a baby girl from the backseat.


	53. You Meet The Nicest People

Title: You Meet The Nicest People  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo starts moving into the little house to the Brannons' chagrin. But not everyone is unhappy...

**-------------------- You Meet The Nicest People ---------------------**

Baby Sarah kicked furiously in her car seat, eager to escape. Her pretty eyes were fixed on the little house outside of the car window. McFlea barked incessantly, his tail wagging a mile a minute. He, too, was excited that Moving Day had finally arrived. His brown eyes were studying the trees in the yard. He whined, desperate to get to them and mark his new territory.

"Hold your water, McPEE," Tony snarked, pulling his '66 Mustang into the driveway beside the house. "The plum tree's not goin' anywhere." McFlea yowled and barked, pawing at the window. "Hey! Paws OFF the 'Stang, Muttley!" Tony snarled, snapping his fingers and pointing back at McFlea from the driver's seat. McFlea whined. Baby Sarah patted his head. Finally, Tony parked the car, opened the door and McFlea bolted for the gate. Tony ran to open it. McFlea beelined for the little plum tree in the front yard, relieving himself. Sarah pointed and laughed from her baby seat in the car.

"It's all fun 'n' games until a plum tree turns yellow and dies," Tony sighed. Baby Sarah said "Uh-oh" and Tony removed her from the car seat, hoisting her into his arms. "Ready to see your new house, Snugglepumpkin? See where the Zoo's gonna be livin' now? Look at this cool yard you and Mr. Canine Garden Hose here have to play in -- and there's a big backyard, too! We can put a swing set in there for you, Sarah, and play real fetch with McFlea so he can run around. No more of him havin' to run into the walls in the apartment." Sarah squeaked with glee, taking in the yard and the trees and the little house itself. A huge smile brightened her face and she clapped her hands. "And in the summertime we can get one of those little plastic pools and you can swim in it with McFlea! Maybe we can get Mommy to wear the Black Bikini. Heh heh heh..."

"I do not think so, Tony," Ziva, stepping out of her red Mini with a box marked "ZOO," said. "The Black Bikini will be put into retirement once we move into our new home." She surveyed their small yard and house with a keen eye. "I believe I will start gardening. I have always wanted to see if I have a green hand."

"_Thumb_, my ninja farmer," Tony corrected, setting Sarah down onto the front porch swing. "And you can't 'retire' the Black Bikini, Sugar Lump. I won't hear of it. I gotta have something to draw my attention away from that abomination next door." Tony nodded toward the Brannon home and its giant Michigan "M" flag.

"This, as you remind me much more often than I would like you to, is a free country, Tony, and they can fly their _Minnesota_ flag whenever and wherever they choose." Ziva put the "ZOO" box next to Sarah, opened it and took out Tony The Tiger, Jenny Giraffe and Silly Monkey. McFlea trotted onto the porch, jumped up onto the swing, lay beside Sarah and took Silly Monkey in his mouth, pawing at his favorite toy. Sarah sat Tony The Tiger in her lap, then took Jenny Giraffe and smoothed out her brown mane, singing a little song as she did so. Ziva smiled at her baby girl, glad that she liked the new house.

"It's a Michigan flag, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said, taking a seat on the front porch steps, "but since you kept it in the Big Ten I'll give you half-credit. Also... Michigan, Minnesota... they're both frozen tundras of the upper Midwest, my bride. So I can see how you confused them." Ziva rolled her eyes and, when Sarah handed her Jenny Giraffe, gave the toy a kiss. "Daddy," Sarah told Ziva, pointing to Tony. Ziva nodded and took Jenny Giraffe over to where Tony sat. She handed him the toy. Tony frowned, confused.

"Sarah wants you to give Jenny a kiss," Ziva said, smirking. Tony narrowed his eyes at her. "Go on," Ziva prodded, clearly enjoying the chance to tease Tony. "Kiss our little Zoo friend." Rolling his eyes and sighing, Tony planted a little smooch on Jenny Giraffe's spotted head. Ziva snickered.

"That's nice," a man's voice said. "Isn't that nice, Hon?" Tony looked up to see his new neighbor, Brad Brannon, owner of the Michigan flag, standing before he and Ziva on the walkway leading to the front porch. With him was his wife, who, like Brad, was blonde, blue-eyed and astonishingly tan. In her arms she held a white dog wearing a pink sweater with "Muffsy" embroidered on it. _They look more like twins than husband and wife,_ Tony thought. Muffsy yipped angrily at Tony, whose eyes popped wide with surprise. The wife gave both Tony and Ziva an openly dismissive glare. Her eyes fixed on Ziva's Star of David necklace and she shuddered ever so slightly. Ziva smiled politely at the pair. "Well, _DiNozzo_, looks like you were able to swing the house after all, eh?" Ziva furrowed her brow.

"Swing the house?" She looked quizzically at Tony. "I do not understand. Houses do not swing." Tony snarled at Brad.

"What I don't understand, _Brannon_," Tony hissed, "is why you're back over here after the last time you 'welcomed' McFlea and me to the neighborhood." Brad glowered at Tony, forcing a fake smile. His wife shot Tony a nasty look.

"How about we let bygones be bygones, DiNozzo?" Brad said. "Let's start fresh. After all, we WILL be living next door to each other." Tony growled, hearing this. "Now then, this is my wife, Janet." Brad put his arm around Janet's slim shoulders. She, too, forced an obviously fake smile. Tony laughed.

"Brad and Janet," Tony snickered. "We gonna meet Dr. Frank-N-Furter next? Rocky? Magenta?" The Brannons stared at him, not getting the joke. Tony narrowed his eyes at them. "When Eddie said he didn't like his teddy, you _knew_ he was a no-good kid." Brad frowned at Tony, guessing that a joke was on him but not understanding what it was. He cleared his throat and turned his attention back towards Ziva, who was also eyeballing Tony curiously. She didn't get the "Rocky Horror" reference, either. Tony, having fun with the gag, muttered quietly to himself in a Dr. Frank-N-Furter voice, "So come up to the LAAAAAB... And see what's on the SLAAAAAB..." Janet and Muffsy flinched, watching Tony. "I see you _shiver_ with... _ahhnnn-ti-ci-PAAAY-shun!_" Tony said in a breathy voice. Janet grabbed Brad's arm. Muffsy whimpered with fear. Ziva just looked at him like he was crazy.

"Janet, these are our... new neighbors -- uh... Tony DiNozzo... and his wife..." Brad's smile faded. "I'm sorry, Tony here never told me your name," he said to Ziva.

"I am Ziva," Ziva answered, smiling. "Tony here never told me your name, either. It is Brannon?" Janet eyed Ziva suspiciously. Tony, his attention back in the ongoing conversation after he'd ended his little "Rocky Horror" reverie, decided that while he didn't like Brad, he definitely disliked Janet much more based on her reaction to Ziva.

"No, it's _Brad_," Brad said, "Brad Brannon. Hey, that's some accent you've got, Ziva. Really... pretty." Brad forced another smile. "Where you from?" He cocked his head to the side in a way Tony resented.

"Philadelphia," Ziva replied. Tony held back a giggle. Brad swallowed hard, clearing his throat. Janet let out a little "Hmph" sound.

"Cute. Heh... Okay, then," Brad said, "We'll let you get back to your moving in. Perhaps we can have your... dog... over sometime for a play date with Muffsy. He _has_ had all his shots, hasn't he?" Ziva and Tony both glared at him.

Before Tony could give Brad a suitably snarky comeback, two blonde children ran up the walkway laughing and pushing each other, nearly knocking down Brad and Janet in the process. Brad turned toward them, furious.

"PETER! PIPER! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!" The boy and girl, who were school age, shrank from Brad. _Peter Piper?_ Tony thought.

"Sorry, Dad," the girl, who was the oldest, said. "Sorry, Mom," the boy added.

"And apologize to our new neighbors, the DiNozzos, for being so rude!" Brad insisted. Tony and Ziva looked at each other quizzically.

"Sorry," the children said, somewhat in unison. Their mother shook her head and, clutching Muffsy, smiled tightly at Tony and Ziva before quickly turning and heading down the walkway towards her own house. Brad flashed one more big smile, said "Catch you later!" and followed his wife, glaring at his children as he passed them.

"We really are sorry," the girl said. "We just wanted to meet you, that's all." Ziva and Tony smiled at them.

"That's okay," Tony said. "I'm Tony and this is my wife, Ziva. That little girl on the swing there is our daughter, Sarah, and the black ball of fur lying beside her like a big sack of do-nothing is our dog, McFlea." The boy and girl giggled. Ziva took Tony's arm and laughed.

"I'm Piper," the girl said.

"And I'm Peter," the boy chimed in.

"Sorry my dad dissed your dog," Piper said, looking up towards McFlea. "I think he's cute."

"Yeah!" Peter said. "I mean, I don't think he's cute or anything, but he looks like a cool dog."

"You do too think he's cute, Peter," Piper said. "You told me you did."

"I did not!" Peter protested. "I said 'cool,' not 'cute!' Our dog Muffsy's not any fun. She hates everyone but Mom."

"Man, that's too bad," Tony said. "Whaddaya think, Ziva, can the B-Team here be trusted to play a little 'fetch' with McFlea, maybe hang out with Sarah while we get some moving done?"

"I think something can be arranged," Ziva said, grinning.

Tony and Ziva stood, ushering the kids onto the porch. Sarah and McFlea looked up at the four of them. Piper and Peter walked over to the swing.

"How old is Sarah, Mrs. DiNozzo?" Piper asked, kneeling down so she could be on Baby Sarah's eye-level. Sarah smiled at Piper. Peter joined his sister, kneeling in front of the swing. McFlea pricked up his ears.

"She will be one in a couple of months," Ziva answered proudly. Piper and Peter tickled Sarah's tummy. She giggled. McFlea barked happily.

"Can we play with her? We'll be really careful. I promise," Piper said. "I love babies. Peter does, too, but he won't tell anyone because he says it makes him look too girly." Peter frowned.

"Hey!" Peter said, unhappy at being exposed. "You're a tattle-tale!" Ziva winked at Tony.

"Peter, you sound like another boy I know," she teased, "who likes to argue with his friend McGee." Tony stuck his tongue out at her.

"Tell you what, Piper," Tony said, changing the subject, "how 'bout you and Sarah get to know each other while Mrs. D and I haul in some more boxes and, Peter, you take this tennis ball and give McFlea here a nice workout playing 'fetch,' huh? He could use the exercise." The kids nodded.

"He is not the only one," Ziva noted, studying Tony's little gut. Tony sucked it in quickly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Baby Sarah clapped with joy as Piper carefully took her into her arms, managing to balance Tony The Tiger, Jenny Giraffe and Silly Monkey as well, and walked with her to the backyard to watch Peter and McFlea play fetch. McFlea panted excitedly, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth as he ran after Peter.

"They are lovely children," Ziva said, watching the kids head off. She took Tony in her arms and kissed him. "I believe we are going to enjoy living here, Tony, for a long time." Tony kissed her again and gave her a hug.

"Yeah," he agreed, taking another look at the little house. "There's just one thing I gotta do first to really make this place _ours._"

Tony smiled mischievously at Ziva, winked and strolled to the Mustang. Opening the passenger's side door, he removed a long wooden pole and a cardboard box. He then hoisted a stepladder from the car. Walking confidently to the front porch area, he opened the box and eyed the existing set-up for hanging a flag. Tony removed something from the box, attached it to the wooden pole and, mounting the stepladder, hung the apparatus from the front porch post. Making sure it was perfect, he got off the ladder, moved back to where Ziva stood, folded his arms proudly across his chest and sighed with satisfaction. A huge red flag bearing a large block letter "O" trimmed in silver flapped in the slight breeze.

"Whaddaya think, Sweet Cheeks?" Tony asked, beaming with pride. Ziva stared at him.

"I think," Ziva answered slowly, aghast at the huge Ohio State flag adorning her new home, "that I will take charge of the rest of the decorating."


	54. Light On

Title: Light On  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's baby's first night in the new nursery.

**-------------------- Light On ---------------------**

Tony and Ziva stirred from sleep first to the sound of McFlea's whining and pained barking. Once they fully awoke, Baby Sarah's cries rang down the hallway from her new nursery to their bedroom. They hastily made their way to Sarah and McFlea.

"Sarah... sweetheart..." Ziva cooed, hurrying to pick up her crying baby girl, "...what is wrong? Mommy is here. And so is Daddy. Shhhh... Don't cry, Princess... Shhhh..." Ziva lifted Sarah out of the crib, cradling her in her arms. Sarah, clutching Tony The Tiger, continued bawling. Tears streamed down her little face; her eyes were red, her tiny nose runny. Tony plucked a tissue from a nearby box and carefully dabbed under Sarah's nose. She coughed, still crying.

"You think she's sick, honey?" Tony asked, worried. He put his hand on Sarah's forehead. "Doesn't feel warm to me." Tony stroked Sarah's tear-stained cheek. "You got a tummy ache, Snugglepumpkin? Have a bad dream?" He looked sad. Sarah hid her face in Tony The Tiger's orange and black striped chest and sobbed. Tony and Ziva exchanged worried glances. McFlea stood in the crib, whimpering and panting. He was upset, too. Tony picked him up and petted him. McFlea whined and yapped, trying to get to Sarah, but Tony cuddled him in his arms. "Calm down, buddy," he told McFlea. "Caaaalm dowwwn..." McFlea panted nervously and whined deep in his throat. To help relax McFlea, Tony grabbed Silly Monkey from the crib.

Sarah's new nursery, much roomier than her small room at Tony and Ziva's old apartment, offered enough space for her favorite rocking chair and a little daybed. Ziva sat with Sarah in the rocker, softly singing "Rock-A-Bye-Baby" to her as Tony snuggled with McFlea on the daybed. He lay Silly Monkey next to McFlea, who gently took his stuffed toy in his jaws and pawed at it. Sarah's sobs now turned to little withering sighs as Ziva continued humming lullabies. At last, Sarah relaxed in her mother's arms, her tiny eyelids drooping as she fought a losing battle against sleep.

After a short while, the nursery was quiet and still. McFlea dozed at Tony's side, his paw wrapped around Silly Monkey. Baby Sarah slept soundly against Ziva's breast. Tony The Tiger lay in Ziva's lap.

"What do you think it was?" Tony softly asked. "That upset her?"

"It is her first night in the new house. She may have gotten frightened when she woke up." Ziva looked around the spacious nursery. "There is much more room here. Her old nursery was much smaller. She will get used to this one. In time." Ziva deftly rose from the rocker, gently putting Sarah back down in her crib. She covered her with her little pink blanket.

Tony got up from the daybed, picked up McFlea and lay the small black puppy down at his end of the crib with Silly Monkey, placing their Mexican serape over them. McFlea snorted, then growled and settled in. Tony grinned at the sight of Sarah and McFlea asleep together in what had become "their" baby crib.

Taking Ziva's hand, he led her to the daybed. Tony lay down first; Ziva snuggled in beside him. Tony pulled a blanket over them as they adjusted their pillows.

"'Night, baby," Tony whispered, wrapping an arm around Ziva. "I love you. Think those two are gonna be okay?"

"Jenny Giraffe and Tony The Tiger will see to that," Ziva purred drowsily, closing her eyes. "I love you, too, sweetheart. Good night."

And the nursery was calm and silent the rest of the night.


	55. Home Life

Title: Home Life  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo enjoys a quiet afternoon around the new house.

**-------------------- Home Life ---------------------**

McFlea growled, gnashing his teeth. Two squirrels gaped at him from their perch in a low limb of the little plum tree in the front yard, their bushy tails flicking furiously. When McFlea finally began barking up at at them, instead of retreating the squirrels simply looked at each other, looked down at McFlea and angrily chattered at him. He sat back, confused, and panted, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. The squirrels held their ground -- or limb -- too. At last, unsure of what to do, McFlea lay down under the little tree and yawned. After a while, the squirrels cautiously descended and sniffed at McFlea, who pricked up his ears and hung his tongue out the side of his mouth again as he panted softly, patiently waiting out the squirrels' sniff-down. The squirrels climbed onto his black furry back and lay down. Within minutes, all three were snoozing, the squirrels' tails curled around them as they snuggled into McFlea's fur.

_Crazy mutt,_ Tony thought, watching the scene with McFlea and the squirrels from where he stood in the driveway. Wearing an old dark blue mechanic's shirt he'd found at the thrift store (with a name patch reading "Anthony"), a gray thermal long-sleeve undershirt and a pair of faded, worn-out jeans, Tony stared at the engine of his '66 Mustang. He'd just changed the oil, so that wasn't the problem. The water level was fine. Nothing wrong with the battery. Then why wouldn't his baby start? It had been cold that morning but now, with the autumn afternoon sun out, the day had warmed considerably and was comfortably crisp. Tony poked around under the hood, pulling at wires and plugs and flipping through a grease-stained, dog-eared Mustang Manual for clues. Once he was suitably filthy, himself slathered in motor oil and grease, Tony exclaimed "Ha! Ha hah HAH!," plucked out the car's spark plug and grinned from ear to ear. He rushed back to the little garage in the backyard, rooted around for a few minutes and raced back to the car. Popping a new spark plug into place, he giggled. After carefully closing the hood and wiping any oil or grease from the Mustang's paint, he wiped off his hands, put on a pair of old driving gloves, cautiously sat on a towel he'd draped over the driver's side seat and turned the ignition key. The Mustang's engine roared to a start. Tony bopped his head back and forth as if he were jamming to a rock tune. Then he switched off the engine, carefully got out of the car, removed the towel, made sure the car was spotless inside and out and took his tools back to the garage, singing "Mustang Sally" as he did a little dance up the driveway.

Ziva had been watching Tony's progress as she knelt in the yard, pulling up weeds. After indulging herself in a sexy little fantasy involving Anthony the Mechanic, the Mustang's hood and herself as a stranded motorist, Ziva put on her gardening gloves, picked up her brand new spade and began fighting a particularly stubborn and ugly ragweed that didn't want to cede its place in Ziva's new front yard. She quietly cursed in Hebrew under her breath at the little weed, narrowing her brown eyes at it as she chopped at its root with the spade. At last, it fell to the side and Ziva let out a hearty "Ha!" in triumph. She tossed her head back and smirked at the uprooted weed, raising one eyebrow. Removing her gloves, she pulled back her long black hair, readjusting the light blue bandanna she'd tied over her head to keep her hair out of her face. When she finished, she put her gloves back on, took the spade in hand once more and considered her next move. From over her shoulder, Tony said "Still gotta dig up the actual root, my green thumb ninja," pointing to the deep-seated white root peeking out from the dirt under the area Ziva had just spaded. He kissed her on the neck, mumbled that he was hitting the showers if "anyone" wanted to join him and strode off into the house. Ziva watched him go, then focused once more on the little hard white root before her. With a frustrated "GRRRRR," she gritted her teeth furiously and took after it with the spade.

Baby Sarah, bundled up in her warmest winter clothes and a baby-sized wool cap with "FUTURE MARINE" on it that Gibbs had given her, played Zoo in her outdoors playpen. She made sure that Tony The Tiger, Jenny Giraffe and Silly Monkey were all wrapped up in her little pink blanket so they would be warm, too, and the four of them watched everything happening around them in the yard. McFlea snorted in his sleep, kicking out his leg, and his new squirrel friends twitched their tails, chattering sleepily at having been awakened. They quickly went back to dozing. Ziva, taking a little break from her weeding, came over to sit by Sarah. She made sure that her baby girl was warm enough and Sarah sweetly handed her mother one of her little graham cracker snacks. Together, they munched on the crackers and looked out over their new neighborhood. In a few minutes, Tony emerged from the house, freshly showered and wearing his favorite Ohio State sweatshirt and most comfortable blue jeans and sneakers. He snuggled in behind Ziva, gave her another little kiss on the neck, happily accepted the snack Sarah gave him and asked Ziva how the weeding was going. Then he explained what happened with the Mustang and mused that maybe he'd haul out the grill and cook some chicken later for dinner. At the words "grill" and "chicken," McFlea's ears pricked up and he lifted his head, howling with joy. The squirrels again fussed at being roused from sleep. McFlea stood and started trotting over to his family. The squirrels tried hanging onto his back but eventually lost their balance and fell on their tiny rumps. Retreating to the plum tree, the two of them watched as their new dog friend lay his head down in Ziva's lap, getting a good scratching just where he liked it most behind his black ears.


	56. Perfect Day

Title: Perfect Day  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva cap off a fine weekend in the late hours of the night.

**-------------------- Perfect Day ---------------------**

Their new bedroom had the same 1940s-era hardwood floor as the rest of the little home and like the other rooms in the small house, it was large and yet, oddly enough, cozy. The windows looked out onto the front yard and moonlight softly streamed in through the panes, bathing Tony and Ziva's bed in a gentle glow.

Tony lay naked at Ziva's side, his green eyes soaking in the sight of her olive skin. He tenderly stroked her breast with his thumb as she lay on her back, allowing him to explore her body at will. Tony's hand moved from Ziva's breast down her flat belly. She moaned as he continued to caress her. At last, when she could take no more, she turned towards Tony, pulling him into a passionate, heated kiss.

Ziva pushed Tony onto his back and he gasped for air. He groaned her name as she kissed his neck, moving down to his chest. Tony tangled Ziva's long black hair in his fingers, closing his eyes as he called out for her. Now Ziva straddled Tony, positioning herself atop him. Tony's strong hands grasped her hips.

She took him gently within her, crying out his name.

Sweat covered Tony's body as Ziva rocked him back and forth. His breath came in hard gasps. He strained to control himself physically while Ziva slowly, deliberately made love to him, taking her time. At last, Tony couldn't hold back any longer. He gripped Ziva's back, pulling himself upright with all his remaining strength, coming face to face with her. Pulling her to him, he whispered her name as they clutched each other passionately before finally relaxing, both exhausted.

Much later, Tony lay naked at Ziva's side, his green eyes blinking awake after a few hours of fitful sleep. He tenderly stroked her breast with his thumb and she reached for his hand, taking it in hers, as she studied his handsome face in the moonlight. Her deep brown eyes moved over the length of his body. They kissed deeply, tongues probing.

"Tony," Ziva whispered, her breath softly caressing his skin, "I love you."

"I love you too, Ziva," Tony whispered back.

"When we have a baby," Ziva asked, "where will it sleep? We have only the one extra bedroom for Sarah."

Tony grinned, softly chuckling as he stroked Ziva's cheek.

"Well," Tony sighed, planting a small kiss on his wife's forehead, "she and McFlea'll just have to learn to share, huh?"

"Yes. Until we have another baby," Ziva said quietly.

"Another baby," Tony repeated, a little smile playing at his lips. Then he frowned. "Wait... does this mean we're gonna have to get another dog, too?"


	57. Refuge

Title: Refuge  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: There's a new family member joining Team DiNozzo.

**-------------------- Refuge ---------------------**

"Abby says it's an emergency, Tony," Ziva said, snapping her cellphone shut. She looked worried. "She will be right over."

"Aw, she's always freakin' out about something, Sweet Cheeks," Tony replied, playing patty-cake with Baby Sarah, who sat in his lap. "I'm sure it's nothing. Don't worry."

Ziva lay down on the sofa and McFlea jumped up to join her. He snuggled in beside Ziva, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. She scratched the fuzzy black fur behind his ears and he yowled with satisfaction, panting.

"I don't know," Ziva said. "Abby sounded quite upset. I hope she is okay."

Just then, Tony and Ziva heard the screech of brakes outside their house. McFlea's ears pricked up. Baby Sarah raised her eyebrows, looking in the direction of the sound. A car door slammed and within seconds, Abby stood in the living room, having hustled her way into the house before either Tony or Ziva could get to the front door to welcome her inside.

"Oh. My. GOD. You guys! It's terrible! It's awful! What am I gonna do?" Abby held KittyKate in her arms, sticking out her lower lip. McFlea, seeing his cat girlfriend, leapt off the couch and pawed at Abby's legs, whining. She knelt, letting KittyKate down so that she could play with McFlea. He jumped around, barking happily as KittyKate purred and rubbed up against him. They ran off to the nursery, McFlea returning with Silly Monkey in his jaws. He plopped down by the stone fireplace, pawing at his favorite toy, and KittyKate nestled against McFlea, sweetly licking his face. Abby looked as if she might cry, pointing to KittyKate and McFlea. "Look at that -- she's giving him kisses! How am I gonna tell him that...," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "... I've gotta give her away?!!!" Abby flopped down on the couch by Ziva, bringing her hands to her face. Ziva patted her shoulder and Abby pulled her into a strong hug. Ziva shot Tony a "help me" look and he shrugged from his easy chair across the room, Baby Sarah still on his lap.

"Abby?" Ziva asked, "Why do you have to...," she, too, whispered, "... give KittyKate away?"

"Because my apartment's going co-op and the new board said 'No more pets' and I really WANT to move, Ziva, because I just HATE that but I can't move because I can't afford to right now and since it's 'No more pets,' I can't...," Abby whispered again, "...keep KittyKate there with me!" She took a deep breath, looking sadder than ever as she watched KittyKate climb onto McFlea's back as he continued pawing at Silly Monkey, letting out little deep growls as if he were scolding his toy in a fatherly way.

Baby Sarah climbed off Tony's lap and toddled across the room to McFlea and KittyKate. She took a seat next to the pair, petting KittyKate's shiny blue-black coat as she murmured "Kitty" over and over. KittyKate purred happily, closing her eyes. Abby grabbed Ziva, sobbing. Ziva again looked over at Tony for any kind of help. Again, he shrugged, honestly not sure of what to do.

"Have you found anyone willing to adopt KittyKate?" Ziva asked Abby. Abby sniffled, dabbing her eyes with a spotted handkerchief. She gently blew her nose.

"No," Abby said sadly. "Gibbs can't take her because he's never home and... well... he's Gibbs. Vance's daughter is allergic to cats. Ducky's dogs would eat her alive. Jimmy's cats are already a handful and McGee and KittyKate just don't get along. She hates Timmy. Last time he spent the night at my house, KittyKate tried to claw his face off. Or that's what he said, anyway. All I know is, if I can't find a home for her I'll have to put her in a no-kill shelter. And she's not used to anything like that. I've had her since she was a kitten... since... Kate and I found her one night when we were leaving the office. Kate took her home and she was taking care of her... until... well..." Abby's voice trailed off, remembering her best friend's sudden death. Tony, too, became sad remembering Kate.

"We'll take her," Tony said softly. "KittyKate can live here, Abs. With us. For as long as she needs to. If you find a new place and you want her back, that's fine. And you can see her or take her whenever you want. But otherwise, she'll just kinda be our cat, too. We'll be her foster parents." He thought of Kate, recalling how she'd bragged about becoming a "mom" to a child with claws. "My kid'll scratch your eyes out, Tony," she'd teased him the day before she'd been killed. "She hates dogs -- like you." _Yeah, a lot you know, Kate,_ Tony thought to himself, smiling as he now watched Kate's "kid" snuggle with his puppy. This was something nice he could do for Abby. And Kate.

Abby jumped off the couch and ran to Tony. She hugged and kissed him.

"Oh, Tony! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You guys are the best! KittyKate is gonna be SO happy here with McFlea and Sarah! She loves Sarah so much and you know how crazy she is about McFlea." Abby ran back to where Ziva sat on the couch, embracing her again. "Ziva? Is it okay with you, too? Please? Can she stay here? Please?"

"Of course, Abby," Ziva said, smiling tenderly. "We are happy to have her."

"Sorry, honey," Tony said. "I shoulda asked you first."

"No, no," Ziva replied, hugging Abby, "it is fine, Tony. Abby, do you have KittyKate's bed and toys? Does she like special foods? We will need the name of her veterinarian."

"Ooh! Ooh! I've got a whole list for you of everything she loves and all her emergency contacts," Abby exclaimed. "I mean, they're not HER emergency contacts but if anything happens to her, you contact them in case of emergency. Y'know?" She scrunched up her face. Ziva smiled reassuringly.

"We got it, Abby," Tony said, grinning as he watched Baby Sarah pretending to be a cat. She made little "meow" sounds and stretched as she'd seen KittyKate do many times before. KittyKate flicked her tail approvingly. McFlea, having finished his conversation with Silly Monkey, panted and hung his tongue out the side of his mouth. He pricked up his ears, paying attention to what his girlfriend and big sister were now doing. When Baby Sarah suddenly changed from being a mewling little cat to a loudly growling baby tiger, McFlea barked in response. KittyKate quickly ran to McFlea's chest, snuggling against him. McFlea sniffed at her with his black snoot. Baby Tiger Sarah began crawling towards Tony, stalking her prey. She let out a tiny "GRRROWL" as she hid behind a chair, peeping out at Tony.

Abby stayed for dinner and, after spending some alone time with KittyKate so that she could say some at least temporary goodbyes, she left. Tony and Ziva placed KittyKate's bed in the nursery, making sure her toys were close by so that she would feel more at home.

"Wonder where McFlea's gonna sleep?" Tony mused as he lay Baby Sarah down in the crib she was rapidly outgrowing. There was barely room for McFlea, who was also growing at an alarming rate, at the foot of the crib where he normally slept with Silly Monkey.

"I think it is time we bought Sarah a baby bed," Ziva said, frowning at how small the crib seemed. She sighed, the reality of how quickly Sarah was growing hitting her.

"Yeah," Tony agreed. "The crib's too little now and the Zoo's gettin' too big."

When McFlea trotted into the room, he looked at KittyKate's bed and then up at his usual spot in Sarah's crib. KittyKate was already dozing, curled up in her bed. McFlea walked over and sniffed at her forehead. KittyKate, unhappy at being awakened, let out a little hiss. Finally, after staring confusedly at KittyKate and her bed for a minute or so, McFlea scampered back to where Tony stood, pawed at his legs and waited to be lifted into the crib. Tony tucked him in at Sarah's feet, placing the little Mexican serape over McFlea and Silly Monkey as McFlea settled in for the night.

"He is a good boy, isn't he?" Ziva said, grinning, as Tony moved behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. "I knew he would not go to bed with his girlfriend. And that she would not let him sleep with her."

"Not tonight, anyway," Tony joked. "But he's a DiNozzo Man. Makes him irresistible, my ninja. She won't be able to hold him off much longer."

"Well," Ziva replied firmly, "they must show respect in our house. Sarah is impressionable."

Tony laughed gently, kissing Ziva's neck.

"Don't worry, honey," Tony whispered. "I think our McBaby's still gotta lot of growin' up to do."

"Yes. They both do," Ziva answered, watching Sarah sleep, clutching Tony The Tiger as Jenny Giraffe looked on. "But let's not rush them."


	58. Things

Title: Things  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo putters around inside randomly on a frigid night.

**-------------------- Things ---------------------**

Ziva curled up on the couch in her pajamas under her favorite blanket, studying her new cookbook, as the wind whistled outside past the windows. A rather complicated recipe for vegetarian lasagna had her full attention. Awaiting her future perusal were "Super Shrubbery: You, Your Yard & The Key To Eternal Bliss," the first magazine she'd received from Glock of the Month Club and a romance novel, "Happy Motoring," which promoted itself as the story of a hunky mechanic who helps out a stranded female motorist stranded on the way to her wedding to a wealthy lawyer. _"Will she choose true love or top dollars?"_ the back cover blurb asked. Ziva wanted to know. But first she had to recalculate the proper ratio of garlic to marinara sauce, not going by the recipe's instructions but by Tony's bottomless gut.

McFlea barked joyously, a crown of fluffy white bubbles on his wet, fuzzy black head. He let out a happy little "ARRRROOOOO" howl from the warm bathtub before ducking underwater and then bursting back up out of the bubbly froth, panting heavily. Gently shaking a little yellow rubber ducky in his jaws, he growled deep in his throat and then carefully set the tiny toy down in the bubbles. When they enveloped it, McFlea pricked up his ears, sniffed the foamy bubbles for his new friend and then sneezed when he got a snootful of froth. He hung his tongue out the side of his mouth, confused, and leaned his chin and paws on the side of the tub. Finally, the little yellow duck popped out from the white wall of bubbles. McFlea cautiously sniffed at it, smiling as only a dog could.

Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe had their first-ever kiss after their first-ever date, which thrilled Baby Sarah. She clapped and squeaked with glee. Whenever she played Zoo, in Sarah's sharp little mind Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe were like her real Daddy and Mommy and since Tony The Tiger had been sad and lonely for so long with just his Baby Tiger Sarah to keep him company, Sarah was happy when her real Mommy finally brought home a girlfriend for her Tiger Daddy. At first, Tony didn't know what to think of the long-necked, yellow, brown-spotted Jenny Giraffe. After all, he was a tiger -- orange with black stripes. Jenny was funny-looking to him (and to Sarah); how could a tough tiger kiss a gentle giraffe with a long neck? His best friend Silly Monkey didn't know. He only spoke Dog, listening to his new daddy, Sarah's baby brother McFlea, talk to him in little growls. So Sarah taught Jenny how to lean down in order to give Tony a sweet kiss. Now Baby Sarah just had to plan the wedding.

KittyKate missed her mom, Abby, but was getting used to her foster family. And she liked getting to play games around the house and yard with her dog boyfriend McFlea. Baby Sarah loved to pet her and snuggle with her and Ziva always found time to pick her up and cuddle with her on the couch or in bed whenever she would read. Even Tony enjoyed having her jump in his lap when he was relaxing in his easy chair, watching one of his favorite movies. He had a special name for her, Katey-K, that reminded her of the nice lady who took her home one night when she was a baby and was cold. But then that lady went away for some reason and Abby took her home for a long time. Now she was at a new home. And everyone loved her. So she was happy.

After he'd ordered McFlea out of the tub, drying off his dog -- who was mildly perturbed at being booted from his warm bubble bath -- Tony stepped into the shower and relished the feel of the scorching water on his skin. He'd spent the day outside in the freezing cold, making sure the windows of his little house were sealed properly for winter so that Ziva, Sarah and the pets would stay warm, and then he'd worked on some other small maintenance projects. By the time he came inside, he was at once sweaty from the labor and chilled from the cold and wind. Ziva, reading on the couch, had told him to hit the showers immediately so that he wouldn't take the spine flu. Now Tony luxuriated in the shower's heat but was eager to join his family for the evening. After toweling off, he put on his special Ohio State pajama pants (red with little white block "Os" all over), a t-shirt with "Who's MY Daddy?" across the chest and his slippers before padding into the living room where McFlea and KittyKate stretched out by the fire with Silly Monkey, Baby Sarah hugged Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe to her as she napped on her blanket in Tony's easy chair and Ziva read on the sofa. When Tony slipped under Ziva's favorite blanket for some quiet time with his wife, she handed him a book. Tony looked at it for a minute, opened it and started getting into the story.

_Aw, she'll choose true love,_ Tony thought, _but it's gonna be fun to see how the hunky mechanic gets paid for his "services."_


	59. Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others

Title: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: The Zoo outgrows its crib. Time for that baby bed.  
**  
-------------------- Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others ---------------------**

Since Tony couldn't sleep anyway, he left the warm master bed all to Ziva, put on his robe and slippers and padded down the hallway of his new house. Yawning as he scratched his stubbly chin and hairy chest, he made a quick pit stop in the bathroom to rid himself of Friday night's beer. He yawned some more while handling business, then hummed the Ohio State fight song, finished up and washed his hands. Tony made a few faces in the mirror, reminded himself that he was still a hottie and NOT a McNottie like a certain Probie he knew and, exiting the bathroom, made his way towards the kitchen. Once there, he put on a pot of fresh coffee and drowsily noted the time.

_Five a.m.?_ Tony thought, moaning softly. _Good GOD. Cartoons aren't even on yet._

When the coffee finished brewing, Tony poured himself a cup, padded to the living room and sat down in his easy chair. Pulling up the blinds just a tad, he examined the dark neighborhood outside. Ziva's wind chimes, hanging from the front porch, tinkled furiously. The little plum tree, its limbs bare from autumn's leaf fall, shivered against the howling wind.

_Freezin' out there. No taking Sarah, McFlea and Katey-K to the park to play today,_ Tony mused. He blew on his coffee to cool it, then took a cautionary sip. _Good coffee,_ he thought, placing the cup on the table next to his chair. Closing his eyes, he felt for a second as if he might doze off.

And then a resounding WHAM! echoed through the house, punctuated by Baby Sarah's screams and McFlea's yelping and barking. KittyKate raced from the nursery, terrified.

Tony bolted from his chair, flying down the hallway. Bursting into the nursery, he found Ziva already there, hoisting the crying Sarah and whining McFlea out of what had been their baby crib. The mattress sat on the floor now, surrounded by a heap of broken wood. Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe lay askew under Sarah's pink blanket; one of the siderails had fallen on Silly Monkey and the Mexican serape.

"Ziva!" Tony croaked, stunned at the scene. "Is Sarah okay?" He rushed to his wife and daughter, comforting his baby girl. Tony kissed Sarah, who was only sobbing now, on her little cheek. He took McFlea from Ziva so that she could hug Sarah to her. "You okay, Snugglepumpkin?" Baby Sarah snuggled into Ziva's shoulder and nodded "yes," sniffling. "How 'bout you, buddy?" Tony asked McFlea, who panted nervously and whimpered deep down in his throat, crying. "You're alright, McFlea," Tony said softly. He caressed the back of Sarah's head. "You, too, Sarah."

"Tony, what could have happened? Everything was fine when we put them to bed last night." Ziva said, rocking Sarah back and forth in her arms, kissing her daughter's forehead.

"I dunno," he answered, staring at the smashed crib. "We made sure that crib was good and sturdy when we put it together, me and McGee, way back when. It was the most expensive one at the store." McFlea's panting had slowed. His tongue hung out the side of his mouth. KittyKate crept back into the room, sniffing at the broken wood. "Guess it's time to buy that new baby bed."

"Well, let's not buy it at the same store where we got this crib," Ziva sighed.

* * *

After spending the day out in the grey, blustery cold pricing baby beds and checking to see which was strongest, Tony and Ziva were exhausted. Helpfully, though, Abby and McGee had cancelled their planned trip to PC Playland, where they were entered in a gaming contest, to serve as emergency babysitters for Sarah, McFlea and KittyKate. KittyKate was particularly thrilled to be reunited with Abby and McGee always enjoyed a chance to play No. 1 Uncle to Sarah and his namesake, McFlea.

"Thank God for Abs and the Probie," Tony panted, trying to wrestle the odd-sized box for the baby bed out of the Mustang's trunk where he'd had to tie it down. "Don't think the baby coulda stood all those trips from store to store out in this frozen tundra all day."

"Oh, I don't know," Ziva replied, grabbing one end of the large box and easily hoisting it out of the car. "I think you handled yourself quite well, Tony." She shot her husband a little smirk as he snarled back at her, slamming the trunk shut.

"We really oughta take this little act on the road, Sweet Cheeks," Tony hissed, grasping his end of the box. "So I can _maroon_ you somewhere in the _sticks_." He stuck his tongue out at Ziva and laughed.

"Let me get this straight," Ziva said. "You want to turn me red using small twigs? That does _not_ make sense, my little Furry Mutt." Tony desperately tried to maintain his hold on the box as Ziva marched towards the porch, having no trouble with her end.

"Yes, my nimble ninja, that's exactly what I want to do with you... right... now..." Tony panted desperately, nearly running to keep up, the box starting to get away from him.

On the porch, Tony and Ziva set down the large box as Ziva opened the front door. Tony took a short break, plopping down on the porch steps to catch his breath. He yelped when his rear end hit the frigid cement steps. Ziva snickered.

"I knew I should not have allowed you those King Kong Kakes," she teased, watching Tony let out a little "Whew!" as he rested. "Now I suppose I will have to wrap you back into shape again."

"It's _whip_ me back into shape," Tony sighed, pulling his Ohio State wool cap down tighter on his head against the bitter wind. Snowflakes began spitting into his face. "And I've lost... pounds," he countered. Ziva smiled tenderly. She didn't really think Tony was out of shape and she loved his body, especially his little gut which she saw as the sign of him being finally settled down and happy. She just enjoyed kidding him about it and since McGee had dropped 15 pounds, Tony was jealous of his friend's slim look.

"Come on, my love," Ziva said, propping open the front door, "the nursery awaits."

* * *

They stood, stunned at what they saw in Sarah's nursery. Neither Tony nor Ziva found themselves able to speak or utter a sound.

In their haste to hit the stores to secure the best baby bed they could find so that Sarah and McFlea would have somewhere to sleep that night, Tony and Ziva had left the shattered crib on the floor in pieces. They'd moved the Zoo and blankets to a place of safety, settling them in Hairy Lion's lap over in the corner where he kept watch over the nursery. Ziva and Tony decided they'd clean up the mess later, after bringing home the new bed. After calling Abby and getting Sarah, McFlea and KittyKate ready for their day, they headed out -- first, to drop Sarah and the pets off with Abby and McGee; then, to the local baby stores to find a suitable bed. So when Tony and Ziva hauled the huge baby bed box into the nursery, they expected to see the morning's disaster awaiting cleanup -- before they could begin assembling the new bed.

Instead, they found the nursery spotless.

There was no trace of the old, shattered crib.

In its place, a strong, handmade wooden baby bed, complete with safety rails, a mattress, pillows and a small handmade quilt stood. At the footboard of the baby bed, the name "Sarah" was carefully painted. On the bed, which was already perfectly made up with hospital corners to boot, the Zoo sat propped against the pillows. Sarah's pink blanket and the Mexican serape were expertly folded at the bed's foot.

"How did he know?" Ziva asked in a near-whisper, her voice choked with emotion at the sight.

"Oh, he _always_ knows," Tony answered. "But if we ever find a boat in the living room, we'll know who to thank."


	60. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Title: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Baby Sarah and McFlea meet their new beds.

**-------------------- Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star ---------------------**

Tony cradled Sarah in his arms as she stared at her new baby bed. He could tell from the look on her little face that she wasn't quite sure what to think of it. It was bigger than her old crib, which had smashed to the ground earlier that morning after it apparently just weakened from holding a growing baby girl and small dog for so long. Tony could also tell that Sarah, who was rarely frightened of anything, nevertheless was apprehensive about going to sleep. After all, she and McFlea had been rudely awakened out of their warm, snug sleep when their comfortable, familiar crib crashed onto the floor, terrifying them both. Even their new nurserymate, KittyKate, had bolted from the room in fear.

"It's okay, Snugglepumpkin," Tony softly assured his baby girl, "because Boss Boss built that bed just for you. And for McFlea, too." He carried Sarah over to the strong, hand-built wooden bed. She reached out her tiny hand, feeling the perfectly polished wood. "Boss Boss builds BIG boats. You've seen 'em in his basement." Baby Sarah nodded. She knew the word "boat" and she definitely understood "Boss Boss." Seeing the Zoo propped against the pillows made her smile a little. "Wanna try it out? Hm?" Tony asked gently. Sarah nodded "yes" and Tony carefully sat her in the bed by the Zoo. She patted the soft mattress, pillows and new quilt that Gibbs used to make up the bed and laughed. Tony grinned, glad that his little girl was happy again.

Next, Ziva entered the nursery, carrying McFlea over her shoulder. He whimpered loudly, desperate to escape her grasp. Clearly, McFlea hadn't forgotten the morning's events and Tony realized that getting him into the bed might be more difficult than it had been with Sarah.

"Perhaps we should let him sleep in his dog bed," Ziva said to Tony. McFlea let out a loud yowl and began panting nervously. Tony patted Sarah on the shoulder and headed off to get McFlea's long-unused bed. Hauling it into the nursery, Tony placed it right next to KittyKate's bed, hoping that would help McFlea settle down. KittyKate, already curled up in her own bed, flicked her tail as she surveyed the scene. Ziva tenderly put McFlea in his dog bed, made sure that Silly Monkey and the Mexican serape were in place and joined Tony on the little daybed, watching everything. McFlea snuggled in, whining softly. Tony felt bad for him and, making his way to the dog bed, knelt down to pet McFlea.

"You're a big boy, now, buddy," Tony said, stroking McFlea's fuzzy black head. "Time to sleep in your own bed. Be Daddy's brave little McMutt, OK?" McFlea's brown eyes were sad, and scared. He'd only ever slept in the crib with Sarah. KittyKate reached over and sweetly pawed at McFlea's back leg. He wagged his tail slowly and forlornly, a high-pitched whimper catching in his throat. "Daddy loves you," Tony whispered, giving McFlea a big kiss on the top of the head. McFlea again wagged his tail slowly. Ziva, too, came over to kiss McFlea and KittyKate (and Silly Monkey) goodnight.

When Sarah was tucked into her new bed with Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe, she kissed her Mommy and Daddy goodnight. They kissed her back, kissed the Zoo and softly sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to Baby Sarah after they all said their prayers. Sarah, McFlea and KittyKate were sound asleep in no time.

It had been such a long day but still, Ziva and Tony had one more thing to do. Abby and McGee were once again happy to come over and babysit -- just for an hour or so.

A little after 10 p.m., Tony's cellphone rang. Flipping it open, he winked at Ziva as he thanked Gibbs for the baby bed. Then he handed her the phone.

"Why, no, Gibbs," Ziva said, smirking at Tony, "we have absolutely NO idea how that brand new bottle of bourbon ended up in your basement."


	61. Whatever I Fear

Title: Whatever I Fear  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony comforts Ziva after she has a nightmare.

**-------------------- Whatever I Fear ---------------------**

A nightmare woke Ziva long before dawn, a nightmare that she couldn't remember but one so frightening she sat up in bed, throwing off the covers because she was soaked in sweat. Gasping for air, she tried to calm herself. You were dreaming, she told herself. Nothing is wrong.

Still, Ziva couldn't calm down for some reason. Whatever she'd dreamed was just too terrifying. Tony now stirred, awakened by the sudden chill after having his warm blankets tossed away. He groaned, unsure of what was going on. When he realized that Ziva was upset, he tried to comfort her.

"Honey?" he asked softly, "What's the matter?"

"I had a nightmare," Ziva replied in a near-whisper, putting her head in her hands. She was exhausted but knew that now she'd likely be unable to sleep, at least for a long while. The lack of warmth was now giving her chills as well and she shivered, even though the room was warm and cozy. Tony pulled the bedsheet and blankets back over both of them, taking Ziva in his arms. He pushed back her long, black hair tenderly, kissing her first on the forehead and then gently on the lips. "I cannot remember what it was about," she said, "but it was... upsetting. Now I cannot sleep."

"Okay, well, let's just relax, then," Tony said in a soothing voice, once again kissing Ziva. "C'mon, baby, lie down." Ziva did as Tony said, resting her head on his chest. He stroked her hair, nuzzling her forehead. Now her breathing slowed at last. They both stared silently into the darkness, watching the season's first snow fall outside their bedroom window.

It bothered Ziva that she couldn't recall the disturbing dream. But, lying in the warmth of Tony's embrace, she sighed and decided to let it go. After all, it had only been a dream and she was awake now. Everything was alright; there was nothing to worry about.

"Y'know, I could always rock you to sleep, Sweet Cheeks," Tony whispered, planting a hot kiss on Ziva's temple. "I'm here to help." Looking up at Tony in the moonlight, Ziva saw that he was tenderly smiling at her.

Bringing her palm to his stubbly cheek, Ziva caressed Tony's skin. Her lips met his, softly and gently, and they held each other until the first light of morning streamed through the windows, wrapping the room in a welcoming white glow that offered the promise of a clean slate and another new day.


	62. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag

Title: Papa's Got A Brand New Bag  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony hunts for McFlea when the girls go to Abby's on a snowy day.

**-------------------- Papa's Got A Brand New Bag ---------------------**

"Ahhhhh... Ha ha HAH!" Tony popped another King Kong Kake into his mouth, closing his eyes in ecstasy as he wrapped his lips around the dark chocolate icing and sweet yellow cake. "_Mmmmph_... Mmmm hmmm HMMMMM!" He smiled and relished his favorite sneaky snack -- which he wasn't having to sneak since Ziva wasn't around to catch him wolfing them down.

Gulping some milk from a huge tumbler, Tony giggled and kicked his legs in the air from where he lay on the couch, watching his special deluxe DVD edition of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" on the big screen TV in the living room of his new house. Outside, snow continued falling and cold winds rattled the window pane. As Tony wiped some King Kong Kake crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand, he wondered if it had been a good idea to let Ziva take Baby Sarah and KittyKate over to Abby's for an afternoon of playing in the snow. But just then, Ziva called and said that she and Sarah would stay over to eat with Abby so Tony and McFlea, who'd opted to stay home with his daddy, were on their own for dinner.

"_Mmmph_... I'm... _mmmph_... I'm on it, Sweet Cheeks," Tony mumbled, smacking loudly as he noshed his third King Kong Kake of the afternoon. "Huh? _Mmmph_... Nah, I'm not... _mmmph_... snacking." He crossed his fingers, guilty for the little lie. After telling Ziva he loved her and to please PLEASE be careful driving home later -- and singing "You're A Mean One, Mister Grinch" to Baby Sarah (and Abby) -- Tony reluctantly hung up the phone and sighed. While he enjoyed having the house to himself sometimes, he always missed his family when they were gone -- even if they were just a few miles away. And he always worried about them, even though he knew Ziva could more than handle any situation. Now he really felt awful about snacking and lying. Putting the King Kong Kakes back in his secret stash area, he returned to the living room and looked out at the white blanket of snow covering the neighborhood. Suddenly, he wished he'd gone to Abby's with Ziva and Sarah.

_Time for a good hot shower,_ Tony thought. _That oughta cheer me up._

But even the shower didn't work its usual magic this day. Tony exited, dried off, shaved, dressed and found himself back in the lonely living room. The house was just too quiet; no Ziva puttering in the kitchen or Sarah playing Zoo or KittyKate chasing McFlea all over and...

_Hey, where IS my McMutt?_ Tony thought, frowning. It wasn't like McFlea to not either hop into the shower with Tony or at least try. And Tony had just enjoyed his first McFlea-free shower in some time.

"McFLEEEEEEA!" Tony called, his voice echoing down the silent hallway. "Yo, McFLEA J. DiNOZZO! Come on down! YOU are the NEXT contestant on... A Pizza Slice Sounds RIGHT!" He waited. Still no McFlea. Now Tony worried. If there was one word McFlea certainly understood, it was "pizza" and that always got him to come running. But Tony didn't hear a peep anywhere in the house that sounded like his dog.

Concerned, Tony started looking in the various rooms of the house, starting with the nursery, calling "McFlea?" in each and getting no answer.

_Only room left is the guest bedroom,_ Tony thought, _where I just put my... _

Creeping down the hallway, Tony noticed the guest bedroom door was slightly ajar. Deftly opening it, he slid inside the room and saw that the closet door, too, was cracked open. Grinning wickedly, Tony tiptoed towards the closet. Whipping the door open all the way, he folded his arms across his chest when he saw just what he was expecting -- a guilty-looking McFlea gobbling the rest of his King Kong Kake stash, which Tony had hidden in his gym bag. When he saw Tony, McFlea whimpered and panted, licking the King Kong Kake crumbs from his fuzzy black chops. He quickly slunk out of the room to hide under Sarah's bed in the nursery.

"Your Mommy said NO snacking!" Tony yelled bitterly as he gathered the sad remnants of his snack stash and headed to throw it in the kitchen wastebasket. McFlea guiltily crawled on his belly down the hallway towards Tony, whining. He was ready to be punished for what he'd done. Instead, Tony knelt down and patted him on the head. McFlea tentatively licked Tony's hand, his way of asking forgiveness.

"Look, McFlea, you gotta remember," Tony said, scratching McFlea behind his fuzzy black ears. "ALWAYS leave ONE snack for Daddy." McFlea barked, hanging his tongue out the side of his mouth, and followed his master to the living room, where Tony ordered their favorite pizza, started a fire in the cozy little fireplace and put on "The Grinch" again.

_All in all, not a bad snow day,_ Tony mused as McFlea snuggled into his lap, growling at Max the Dog's little reindeer ears.


	63. It Could Happen To You

Title: It Could Happen To You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Gibbs have a man-to-man talk about a sensitive issue.

**-------------------- It Could Happen To You ---------------------**

Gibbs finished sanding the plank of wood, checking to make sure the grain was smooth. Letting out a sharp whistle, Gibbs waited as McFlea trotted over with another, smaller plank in his jaws. McFlea carefully placed it at Gibbs' feet and sat down. Gibbs knelt, patting the dog's fuzzy black head.

"Good dog," Gibbs said quietly, scratching McFlea behind the ears. McFlea panted happily, hanging his tongue out the side of his mouth. Gibbs picked up the plank and eyed it, deciding how he'd smooth it. "At ease," he said to McFlea, who patiently waited for the okay before lying down.

McFlea's ears pricked up when he heard the door to the basement open and the sound of feet on the stairway down but he didn't move. His brown eyes moved toward the direction of the stairs, then back to where Gibbs worked. McFlea sighed, a little growl escaping his throat.

"He bein' a good McHelper, Boss?" Tony asked brightly, kneeling to give McFlea another good petting and scratch behind the ears. McFlea growled with pleasure, closing his eyes. "Thanks for letting me bring him over this afternoon. He always wants to go grocery shoppin' with us and I know Sarah wants him to go but the store's not crazy about dogs in the Meat department -- or anywhere else, really. Ziva's not big on it, either." At the word "meat," McFlea's ears pricked up again and he sniffed at the air, whining. Gibbs grinned.

"Like havin' another right hand," Gibbs said, beginning to sand the small plank McFlea had brought him.

"Yeah," Tony agreed, hauling McFlea up into his arms as he continued to pet him. "Never thought I'd have a son who walked on all fours and barked at squirrels who ended up getting him to give 'em rides on his back. Heh... But I do!" Tony gave McFlea a little kiss on the forehead. "Must seem kinda weird, huh?"

"Nope," Gibbs replied, continuing to sand.

"I mean, me and Ziva, we wanna have a baby -- _babies_ -- of our own, y'know. Give Sarah some little brothers and sisters?" Tony looked down at the floor, carefully choosing his words. "We've been... tryin' lately. A lot." He looked over at Gibbs, who was still focused on sanding. "Well, not _TRYING_ trying but... just kinda... _trying_. No luck yet." Tony chuckled nervously. "Oh, it's been fun -- I'm not gonna lie. Just that... I'm startin' to wonder if... maybe I'm... I'm not... y'know... what if I can't..."

"Ya _can_, DiNozzo," Gibbs said quietly, finishing his sanding on the one side of the plank. "Give it time." He fixed Tony with his icy blue eyes. Tony looked back up at his mentor, who studied him kindly. He wanted to ask Gibbs a particular question but was, frankly, afraid. Delving into his boss's personal life was never something he was comfortable doing and not anything he enjoyed. But in this case Tony felt he needed to find out if Gibbs had ever felt the same way as he was now feeling. So he swallowed hard, took a deep breath and put his question out there.

"Boss? Before you and Shannon had Kelly..." Tony hesitated, scared of what Gibbs' reaction might be, "... did you try to have other kids? Or was Kelly just... the only child you two wanted?" Tony held McFlea close against him in a defensive way. McFlea panted, pricking up his ears.

Gibbs stopped sanding, wiped the wood clean and made his way to the work table, where he poured himself a fresh glass of bourbon. Taking a long sip, he considered Tony's question in the silence of the basement.

"You askin' if we had problems tryin' to have a baby, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked quietly. Tony shivered.

"_No_, Boss, _no_! Not if you had... _problems_," Tony stammered. Gibbs took another drink and stared at him. Tony looked away, ashamed at being so bold. "Yeah," he finally said quietly, "that's what I was asking, Boss." Tony hugged McFlea to his chest. McFlea's tongue hung out the side of his mouth.

_"Look, honey," Shannon had said, massaging his strong shoulders, "when God wants us to have a baby, He'll give us one. You just have to trust Him." Then she'd pushed back her fiery red hair, smirking. "And I shouldn't have to tell you that, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, you KNOW it's true." Shannon gave him a playful push and he fell back onto his pillows. "Besides, this gives us more time to come up with baby names. And I know how you LOVE naming all the little Gibblets we're going to have someday -- especially Leroy Jethro Junior..."_

_He'd laughed at that one like he always did, saying he'd have to teach any boy with his name to fight like a little Marine to keep from getting beat up on the school playground. But Shannon gave him that look of hers and said "Your daddy named you after Mister Leroy Jethro and it's a fine name, Gibbs. And our son will be proud to have it, too." Once again, he told her, she was right; and he really was proud to be named after his father's close friend. What if they had a girl, he asked -- they couldn't name her Leroy Jethro Junior._

_"No, silly," Shannon said, lying down beside him, putting her head on his chest. "I'm leaving that one up to you. You name our baby girl when she comes along, Gibbs."_

"And I did," Gibbs told Tony, finishing his glass of bourbon. McFlea yawned, panting sotfly as Tony gently petted him. "And you'll name your babies when ya have 'em, son."

Tony took a deep breath, feeling better for having heard what Gibbs had to say.

"Thanks, Boss," he said in a near-whisper. McFlea closed his eyes, clearly getting sleepy. Tony cradled him in his arms. Gibbs grinned, pouring a half-glass of bourbon. Turning his attention to the planks of wood Gibbs had been sanding, Tony asked, "So what'cha gettin' started on now? Another boat?"

"Don't know," Gibbs answered quietly, studying the stack of boards that lay unsanded across the room. "Guess I'll find out when I'm finished."


	64. Sorry, So Sorry

Title: Sorry, So Sorry  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: McFlea has been REALLY bad and the ninjas are on the warpath.

**-------------------- Sorry, So Sorry ---------------------**

McFlea had been a bad BAD boy all day, ignoring anything Tony and Ziva said while doing whatever he wanted -- sleeping on his parents' bed (which was strictly forbidden); snapping at Tony when he'd told him to get out of his easy chair; growling threateningly at Ziva when she'd scolded him for "fighting" with one of her favorite coverlets by shaking it back and forth in his jaws. He even made Baby Sarah cry when he stole Jenny Giraffe from the nursery -- something he'd never done before -- and refused to let her go, running away with the toy whenever Sarah got close to him. Sarah sobbed in her playpen, holding Tony The Tiger and Silly Monkey to her little chest with a death grip. Even KittyKate was mad at McFlea, hissing at him whenever he popped his black head out from where he hid with Jenny Giraffe, shaking Sarah's toy defiantly.

"That is IT!" Ziva snapped, having reached her wit's end with McFlea's antics. "I am calling in the big cannons!"

"Big _guns_, my fuming ninja," Tony carefully corrected. He knew this particular tone of Ziva's and, while he too was angry at McFlea, he didn't want to see the family's dog drawn and quartered -- which Ziva was, at this moment, completely capable of doing. Tony had been scheming about how he could trick McFlea into giving up Jenny Giraffe in exchange for extra Puppy Puffs. So far, he'd had no luck. He couldn't figure out why McFlea was suddenly being so naughty. "Sweet Cheeks, lemme try talkin' to him one more time, OK? Maybe he'll listen and... Sweet Cheeks? Sweet Cheeks?" Tony looked back to where Ziva had been standing but she was gone. McFlea popped his head out from behind the sofa again and gave Jenny Giraffe a little shake. Sarah bawled. Tony knew he had to handle this situation -- fast.

"Now look here, McMischief-Maker," Tony began. But before he could finish, an early '70s model yellow Dodge sports car screeched to a stop in front of the house. Tony looked out the window and his eyes grew huge. McFlea's black ears pricked up. Tony looked back and saw Ziva smirking, holding her cellphone. Baby Sarah sniffled, petting KittyKate. "Oh, you've had it now, pal," Tony told McFlea quietly. McFlea let out a confused little growl, still holding Jenny Giraffe in his jaws.

The door opened and a voice said softly but firmly, "Giraffe. Sarah. Now."

At those words, McFlea's ears pricked almost straight up. Bowing his head, he slowly crawled on his belly from the sofa to Sarah's playpen, gently releasing Jenny Giraffe. McFlea lay down, whimpering. "BAD McFee!" Sarah scolded, frowning. "BAD!" McFlea whined again, truly feeling awful. His brown eyes darted pitifully from Sarah to KittyKate to Tony to Ziva. He was scared to look at the voice who'd just ordered him to give up Jenny Giraffe.

"OK, you... You go to your room and think about what you've done!" Tony pointed straight out towards the nursery and McFlea, his head still down, whined as he scampered down the hall. "You are in TIME OUT, young mutt!" Tony crossed his arms over his chest, a fierce look on his face. "Thanks, Boss," he added softly, looking at Gibbs.

"You're welcome," Gibbs said, kneeling down to hand Sarah her toy. She gave Jenny Giraffe a huge hug. KittyKate purred as Gibbs petted her fur.

"Will you stay for dinner, Gibbs?" Ziva asked.

"Yep," Gibbs answered.

"Beer, Boss?" Tony asked, really thankful that Gibbs had gotten McFlea to obey.

"Yep," Gibbs answered. Tony headed to the kitchen for the beers. Ziva joined Gibbs in the living room.

"Thank you, Gibbs, for coming over. I am sorry to take you away from your boat-building." Ziva took Gibbs' coat, hanging it up in the hall closet. "McFlea has been evil all day. That is not like him. I cannot figure it out."

"He's a growin' boy," Gibbs said, holding Tony The Tiger while Jenny Giraffe gave her boyfriend a big kiss. "Boys have to be bad sometimes." He smiled. "Girls, though," Gibbs said, grinning at Sarah, "they're good."

"Cold 'n' frosty, at your service!" Tony handed Gibbs an ice cold beer bottle, toasting him as Gibbs took a seat on the sofa beside Ziva. Tony eased into his recliner, taking a swig. In the fireplace, a toasty little blaze popped and crackled, warming the living room. Baby Sarah, now calm, played Zoo with KittyKate. Everyone relaxed, enjoying the evening and each others' company.

But a certain someone was missing: McFlea.

After about 20 minutes, Tony got out of his chair and excused himself.

"Gotta go have a talk with that boy," he said. Ziva smiled, rolling her eyes, and Gibbs lifted his beer in tribute. Tony headed down the hall to the nursery.

Looking in the doorway, he saw McFlea curled up in a little ball, lying in his dog bed. McFlea whimpered softly, all alone in the dark. Tony snapped on a lamp and McFlea's ears pricked up, but only a little. He was clearly sad.

"You ready to talk about it?" Tony said, lying down on the floor next to McFlea's bed. McFlea sighed, whimpered and turned his brown eyes away from Tony. "Ooooohkaaay then... Guess we'll just lie around in here and pout while Gibbs and Sarah and KateyK and Mommy are out there having fun." Tony turned over onto his back, folding his hands behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. "Gonna have dinner soon. Your mommy made _en-chee-LAH-dahs_." McFlea whined, hearing the word "enchiladas." Tony knew that McFlea loved enchiladas. Like Tony, he seemed to have a cast-iron gut and could eat just about anything.

At last, McFlea lifted his head and yowled pitifully, panting. He let out a little cry and tentatively nestled his fuzzy black head on Tony's chest, whimpering some more. Tony reached down and scratched McFlea behind the ears. McFlea sadly licked Tony's hand.

"Why've you been so bad today, huh? What's got into you? Sleepin' on our bed... Tearin' up Ziva's blanket... Runnin' off with Jenny Giraffe and making Sarah cry..." Tony rubbed McFlea's head. "You've never done stuff like that before, McFlea. C'mon now... You know better." McFlea whined in response. "You gotta make it up to your mommy and your big sister -- even to KateyK. She's mad, too." McFlea sighed, pawing at Tony's chest. "Look, guys do stupid things. I do. But when you really screw up you've gotta make it right. Let's go." Tony started to sit up but McFlea wouldn't move. "Oh, I get it. You think _Gibbs_ is mad at you, huh?" McFlea whimpered. "Well, he gets mad at me a lot at work but he forgives me pretty quick. He still loves you -- everyone does." Tony sat up and hoisted the shivering McFlea into his arms. "I love you, buddy. Even when you're a bad boy. Daddy always loves you." Tony hugged McFlea to his chest and McFlea sweetly licked Tony's chin.

Striding back into the living room with a quaking McFlea in his arms, Tony grinned at everyone.

"He just had a real bad day," Tony explained. "Woke up on the wrong side of the dog bed this morning."

When Sarah saw McFlea shaking and whining, she studied him for a minute, then put out both her little hands and squeaked "McFEE!" in a worried voice. Tony gently put McFlea down in the playpen with Sarah and KittyKate. He lay down and cried. Sarah patted his head and cooed "Sowwy McFee... Awww..." KittyKate snuggled up to him. Sarah had Jenny Giraffe give him a little kiss. McFlea crawled to Baby Sarah, who hugged and kissed him, saying "Good McFee" over and over as McFlea slowly wagged his tail. Soon, Sarah, McFlea and KittyKate were all happily playing Zoo.

"Exactly what did you say to him, Tony?" Ziva asked, winking at Gibbs. Tony eased back into his recliner.

"Aw, boys'll be boys," Tony replied, returning the grin Gibbs was giving him from across the room. "BAD boys, maybe, but boys. Little father-son talk, that's all."

"Yes," Ziva agreed, smirking, "But _who_ did all the talking?"

Gibbs laughed, getting up for another beer.


	65. The Name Game

Title: The Name Game  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Just what does the "J" in "McFlea J. DiNozzo" stand for, anyway?  
**  
-------------------- The Name Game ---------------------**

"I don't think we'll be having any trouble out of a certain McFlea J. DiNozzo for a while," Tony snickered as he and Ziva snuggled together on the sofa in front of the fireplace after putting Sarah, KittyKate and the aforementioned McFlea to bed. Gibbs, the night's dinner guest, had headed home much earlier. "Poor little guy. Now he thinks Gibbs is gonna bust through the door whenever he's being a bad dog. Heh heh heh... Nice work, my bride." Tony grinned, giving Ziva a little kiss on the neck.

"Tony, what does the 'J' in 'McFlea J. DiNozzo' stand for?" Ziva asked. "You have never explained that." Tony stopped nuzzling Ziva's neck and frowned.

"Huh... I dunno. I just kinda called him that one day and... uh..." Tony wrinkled his brow. "Never thought about it."

"Jethro," Ziva said firmly. "_That_ is his middle name. I knew it all the time!" She smiled, proud that she had solved the mystery.

"Now hold on there, Velma," Tony shot back, "Before you go gettin' the Mystery Machine all waxed and polished, you oughta give that some more thought." Ziva knitted her eyebrows, having no idea what Tony was referring to. "Maybe "J" doesn't stand for "Jethro." Maybe it stands for something else."

"Who is Velma?" Ziva asked. "And what is a Mastery Machine? You are not making any sense. And why could McFlea's middle name NOT be 'Jethro'? YOU just said you never thought about it -- which means YOU did not give him a middle name at all." Tony snarled, frustrated that Ziva was technically right.

"It's a _MYSTERY_ Machine, Sweet Cheeks," Tony corrected, "and Velma is..." He sighed, exasperated. "Look, maybe I DIDN'T really decide what 'J' stands for but I didn't decide that it stood for 'Jethro.' There are lots of other names starting with 'J' and McFlea could have any of them." Tony narrowed his eyes, thinking. "Joshua... Jacob... Joe... Jack... Jimbo..."

"Jimbo?" Ziva said. "Really, Tony?"

"It's a name," Tony countered defensively. He thought some more. "Jasper... Jeffrey... Jarrett... Jeb... Jerome... Jedediah..." Ziva rolled her eyes. "Jeremiah... Judas..." Tony giggled at that one. "Jake... John... Joel... Jesse... Jeremy... Jarvis... Jamey..."

"I believe I am getting the tip," Ziva said, shaking her head at the list Tony had come up with.

"The _point_," Tony replied. "Getting the _point_, my doubting ninja. And there's also Jerry... Julian... Jonas... Jonathan... Jermaine... Judd... Jordan... Jock... James... Jude... Jody... Justin... Oh, and then..."

"Enough, Tony," Ziva said, holding up her hand. "I think it is safe to say that neither of us know what McFlea's middle name is."

"Wrong, Lamb Cuddles," Tony answered. "We DO know his middle name. And it's not really a big secret."

"Oh?" Ziva asked, turning to look at Tony. Now she was truly confused. "Then what is it?"

"J," Tony said. He flashed Ziva a huge, toothy grin and planted a kiss on her forehead.


	66. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

Title: I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and McFlea are in the doghouse with the Ninjas. Literally.

**-------------------- I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm ---------------------  
**  
"Man's Best Friend," Tony muttered. "More like Man's Best FIEND." He frowned at McFlea as they fought in the raggedy old sleeping bag they were forced to share as they camped out in the garage by the little house. A small electric space heater tried to warm the near-freezing room to no avail. McFlea growled in response to Tony's insults.

"Hey, you watch your tone with me, Mister," Tony shot back as McFlea issued a deep little growl. "YOU got us into this McMess. And, oh, what a McMess it IS!" McFlea growled again.

Tony went on: "You just HAD to taste-test your Mommy's new blueberry pie recipe, huh? Couldn't leave it alone, could ya? Nooooooooooo! Got a whiff of it coolin' up on the counter and it was all you could do to find a way to crawl up there and attack it full force." Tony turned, giving McFlea the evil eye over his shoulder. "That pie never had a fighting chance!" McFlea let out a little moan.

"I hope you're proud of yourself," Tony scolded. "I hope you ate your fill, McPiehole. Because now there's no pie for the family and we've got two ninjas and a cat who grew up sleeping in a coffin mad at us." McFlea growled, then whined. "Yeah, I said 'US' -- and I didn't even DO anything WRONG! All I got was yelled at and thrown out of the house -- MY HOUSE THAT I'M PAYING HALF THE MORTGAGE ON, BY THE WAY, SWEET CHEEKS! -- over a teeny tiny misunderstanding that I have ALREADY EXPLAINED TEN TIMES TONIGHT IF ANYONE WOULD LISTEN!" Tony growled, gnashing his teeth. McFlea growled back. "Don't talk back to me, McSassy," Tony said snippily.

For a few minutes, the garage was quiet except for the hum of the little space heater. Cold wind tossed the tree limbs outside.

"And another thing," Tony started, "that I don't understand is why I'M in trouble for trying to RESCUE the pie from YOU!" McFlea, who had nearly fallen asleep, growled pitifully at the sound of Tony's voice. "So WHAT if I took a bite? Or two? Or ate the rest that YOU didn't finish? Ziva's standing there, yelling about how she can't believe I ate after the dog..." Tony paused for a beat, angry. "Well, DOGS' mouths are cleaner than HUMANS' are, my little HYPOCHONDRIAC! So ha hah HAH! How 'bout THEM APPLES, BABY? Or should I say -- BLUEBERRIES?!!! HAH!" McFlea whimpered miserably.

Tony mumbled for another few minutes about how if Ziva were ever hungry enough for piping hot blueberry pie, he bet she'd sure eat after a dog, too, and besides it wasn't just any dog -- it was McFlea and he was family because, hey, Ziva didn't think twice about kicking her loving husband -- the father of their angel baby girl -- out of their cozy warm house with their dog who they considered a son because that son couldn't keep his paws -- literally -- off the grub and now Daddy had to suffer for the McSins of his McSon and...

Soon, the garage was quiet again except for the hum of the little space heater. And the occasional snoring of a Man and his Best Friend.


	67. To Know Him Is To Love Him

Title: To Know Him Is To Love Him  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: A smelly Tony and McFlea scheme to get back in the house.

**-------------------- To Know Him Is To Love Him ---------------------**

Tony sniffed the sleeping bag, wrinkling his nose at the smell.

"You stink," he groused, narrowing his eyes at McFlea. McFlea's response was to lift his hind leg and give himself a good scratch behind the ear. Finishing up, he sat on his half of the sleeping bag, panting as he looked back at Tony.

Tony scratched at the two-day stubble on his chin. Then he sniffed at his own armpits. The smell gagged him.

"I stink, too," he told McFlea, who yawned in reply. McFlea's tongue hung out the side of his mouth.

The little electric space heater hummed, throwing out minimal heat in the chilly garage. Tony shivered beneath his layers of gamy clothing. McFlea burrowed under the sleeping bag.

"My butt is frozen to the floor," Tony said to McFlea. He watched his breath steam the frigid air as he spoke. "Along with... other things." McFlea growled, tiring of Tony's voice in his ear. Tony issued a heavy sigh and a trail of steam shot through the cold air.

"We gotta get back in that house," Tony mused. "We're both too frozen and dirty and smelly and hungry to survive in the wild. Ziva's gotta let us back in. It's been... hours. I can't take any more of this inhuman torture. Maybe you can because you're a dog. You ARE inhuman. Or un-human. Whatever. But if we don't get back in that house soon, I'm gonna..."

McFlea turned towards Tony, bared his teeth and let out the most fierce GROWL he'd ever growled. He loved his master but spending one night in the cold garage sharing a sleeping bag with Tony and Tony's mouth, which never slept, was asking too much of any dog. Tony grimaced, actually scared of McFlea.

"Okay, okay... I get it. I'll shut up." McFlea turned back around, snuggling back down into the sleeping bag. "But we really gotta get back in the house." McFlea snapped at Tony again, barking a warning. "Fine! Shutting up. Now," Tony said, crossing his arms in disgust.

After painfully wresting himself off the freezing garage floor, Tony ousted McFlea from the rank sleeping bag and rolled up their makeshift bed. Together, they scouted the house.

"Ha HAH!" Tony laughed. "Sweet Cheeks just put the baby and the cat in the car! Headin' out to Christmas shop for Daddy, I bet. Heh heh heh... Yeeeeeahhhh... There they go... and here WE go! RUN FOR IT, McFLEA!" Tony and McFlea burst out of the garage side door, ran through the snowy backyard, raced up onto the back deck and found that the back door was... open.

Inside the warm house, Tony was a little confused at why Ziva would just leave the house unlocked but as he and McFlea attacked the refrigerator contents, Tony found a note on the kitchen counter.

_"Welcome home. Now take a bath. You both stink. -- Love, Sweet Cheeks, Snugglepumpkin and KateyK"_

"Looks like we have our orders," Tony told McFlea, who was wolfing down a huge slice of the new blueberry pie Ziva had baked. "_After_ we have seconds." McFlea howled with joy as Tony poured himself another large glass of milk and sliced up the rest of the pie.


	68. One For My Baby

Title: One For My Baby  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: The Christmas and Hanukkah holiday spirits are high at Camp DiNozzo.

**-------------------- One For My Baby ---------------------**

"Who's been a GOOD girl all year?" Tony asked, bouncing Sarah on his knee as they relaxed in his recliner by the crackling fire in the living room. Sarah giggled and pointed at Tony. He frowned. "No, silly... Daddy's not a GIRL!" Tony teased, tweaking Sarah's nose. She laughed. Ziva entered the room, carrying a little tray holding two cups of coffee and a bottle filled with milk. McFlea and KittyKate snuggled together in front of the fireplace, snoozing.

"What about Mommy, Sarah? You think she's been a good girl?" Ziva smirked, winking at Tony. His green eyes followed her as she set her coffee cup down on the table by the sofa. "I think Santa's gonna be reeeeeeal good to Mommy this Hanukkah. And Christmas, too." Tony shot Ziva a sexy smile as she placed his coffee cup on the table by his chair. She handed Sarah her milk bottle, raising an eyebrow at Tony.

"Santa Claus does not visit at Hanukkah, Tony," she said. "He is all backed up for Christmas."

"_Booked_ up," Tony corrected. "And never doubt the Big Guy's awesome powers, my little menorah lighter of love. He's more ninja than YOU are. Oh ho ho yeeeeeahhh..." He took a sip of his coffee, pointing his index finger in Ziva's direction. "Those elves of his work harder than we do for Gibbs." Tony paused, frowning. "Sometimes I wonder if Gibbs IS Santa Claus. He makes lists, checks 'em twice... Always knows who's naughty or nice... We better watch out... We better not cry... We better not pout... And he'll tell us why... He sees us when we're sleeping... He knows when we're awake... HE knows if we've been bad or good." Tony's eyes grew wide with fear. "Well, I've been GOOD, for goodness' sake!" Ziva laughed out loud. But Tony was serious.

"You have been on Gibbs' 'Naughty' list for quite some time, my little furry mutt," Ziva teased. "But I agree that this year you have changed your tone. Perhaps you will not receive a lump of coal in your sock."

"Changed my _tune_," Tony said. Ziva furrowed her brow. She was sure she'd gotten that right. "And people hang _stockings_, not socks, Sweet Cheeks."

"But are stockings not socks?" Ziva questioned, sipping her coffee. "I do not see the difference."

"Well, technically, they're one and the same, my little sugar plum," Tony replied, "but ... well ... stockings are longer than socks and, uh, most people don't really wear stockings anymore. Also, nowadays Christmas stockings aren't really something you wear. You just kinda buy 'em for the holiday and hang 'em up and..."

"What does that mean? When you say something is one and the same? If it is the exact item, why not just say it is the same? Why make a distinction that truthfully is not there? After all, it is only one item, not two," Ziva frowned, thinking over the logic of this. "And it seems wasteful to purchase stockings for a holiday when the socks you have would easily handle the same job." Tony grimaced, looking at Sarah. She looked back innocently at him, sucking on her little bottle. Tony shrugged at her and she shrugged back.

"So... let's hear about HANUKKAH!" Tony chirped, desperate to change the subject since he had no answer for Ziva's questions. "It's Sarah's first Hanukkah-slash-Christmas and I think she's got the whole Christmas and Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town thing down." He tenderly stroked Sarah's wispy hair. "Now it's time for Mommy to teach you about your other big holiday, Snugglepumpkin. You're so special, you get to celebrate TWO times -- once at Hanukkah and again at Christmas!" Sarah looked over at Ziva and smiled. Ziva grinned back at her, rising from the sofa to take Sarah in her arms and cuddle with her on the sofa.

McFlea woke up from his nap, raised his head, yawned, panted and got up, leaving KittyKate to continue sleeping. A few hisses and brandished claws in the past had let McFlea know she didn't like to be disturbed when she was resting. After stretching for a minute or so, McFlea trotted over to where Tony sat and jumped into the easy chair, settling down into Tony's lap. Tony scratched him behind the ears.

Ziva explained to Sarah about how why they were lighting the menorah each night and that the latkes Sarah liked so much were a special food used to celebrate Hanukkah. Sarah, little as she was, listened intently and both Tony and Ziva knew she was somehow taking it all in. Sarah clapped with joy when Ziva mentioned playing with the dreidel.

"Oh, she loves that," Tony said, thinking of how happy Sarah got whenever she, Tony and Ziva played the dreidel game. "And you," he said to McFlea, "better quit trying to eat every latke in sight, McMotormouth. I swear this dog's got a bottomless pit for a gut." McFlea panted, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

"He gets it from his father," Ziva teased, casting her eyes down towards Tony's little gut. "Someone ELSE in this house has a taste for _sufganiyot_... Tony." Tony looked sheepish.

"Never let it be said I'm opposed to exploring the traditions of other cultures -- especially when they involve jam filling and doughnuts," Tony replied. At the word "doughnuts," McFlea smacked his jaws and barked. "Yeah, let's celebrate NOW with some of those... uh... suf... sufga... those jam doughtnut things, Sweet Cheeks." Ziva rolled her eyes. Sarah clapped her hands in agreement with her daddy and McFlea.

"I suppose I could be persuaded to make some sufganiyot -- IF a certain Anthony DiNozzo fulfills his promise to take out the trash." Ziva raised an eyebrow in Tony's direction, shooting him a playfully stern look. Sarah mimicked her mother's expression.

"The sacrifices I make for my family," Tony sighed, starting to rise from his chair. McFlea jumped down and returned to where KittyKate lay still sleeping by the fireside. Ziva picked up Sarah and headed for the kitchen as Tony put on his coat and gloves, preparing to head outside into the snow and cold.


	69. Christmas Bells Are Ringing

Title: Christmas Bells Are Ringing  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: McFlea's Christmas couture makes for an un-Happy Holiday.

**-------------------- Christmas Bells Are Ringing ---------------------**

McFlea growled angrily, barking and snapping as Ziva adjusted his Christmas reindeer ears so they'd stay on his head.

"YOU watch your mouth, young man!" Ziva scolded, frowning as she worked to get the ears on just right. "There! Oh, you look adorable!" Smiling primly, she sat back and admired her handiwork. McFlea, panting and whining, tried yet again to shake off the brown fuzzy reindeer ears. Instead, he only succeeded in making his new collar, outfitted with two little jingle bells, ring. Annoyed, he growled again, then barked some more.

"Well, I don't care what you say, you are the cutest Christmas dog in the neighborhood," Ziva said flatly. "Tonight, we'll see if your Hanukkah sweater fits." McFlea whimpered. Ziva stood and opened the door for McFlea to make his way into the backyard. "Go on," she said, motioning for him to head outside, "and strut your things." McFlea cocked his head and pricked his ears, confused at what Ziva meant. Also, he didn't want to go out in the yard.

"It's strut your _stuff_, my little _fashioneenjah_," Tony corrected, entering the kitchen area. "And... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO OUR DOG?!!!" Tony looked horrified, seeing McFlea sitting before him pitifully in his little crooked reindeer ears and jingle bell collar.

"I have made him pretty," Ziva answered, perplexed at Tony's sudden shock. "Do you not think he is pretty, Tony?" McFlea cried out, lying down. He tried to hide his fuzzy black face. The little bells on his collar jingled.

"Ziva," Tony hissed, his green eyes growing wide, "McFlea is NOT a GIRL. He's NOT supposed to be PRETTY!" Wrinkling his nose at the sight of McFlea, Tony snapped, "Looks like Max from 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas' threw up all over him." McFlea sadly whimpered, his reindeer ears sagging slightly.

"THAT was uncalled for!" Ziva shot back furiously.

"So are those TV ANTENNAS sticking outta his head!" Tony yelled. He moved to take them off McFlea's head.

"TOUCH his ears and I will rearrange certain parts of your anatomy that usually PLEASE me into OTHER areas of your body into which the SUN does not SHINE!" Ziva narrowed her eyes at Tony, crossing her arms defiantly. Tony grimaced.

"Careful with those branches, Rudolph," Tony said to McFlea. "Neither of us wants to get on her 'Naughty' list." Tony hastily exited the room, heading out into the backyard after muttering something about needing to get something from the garage. Ziva smirked in triumph.

The doorbell rang and Ziva answered. She was surprised to see her neighbor, Janet Brannon, awaiting her with an obviously fake smile and her prized Pomeranian show dog, Muffsy. Muffsy wore a tiny red Christmas sweater and... little pink reindeer ears. Ziva paled at the sight.

"Well. Hello, Rita," Janet said, forcing a smile.

"Ziva," Ziva corrected as politely as possible.

"Yes," Janet said, still tightly smiling. "Brad and I just wanted to send Christmas greetings from the Brannon Family to ... yours."

"Thank you. Merry Christmas to you, Brad, Piper and Peter." Ziva never really knew what to say to Janet. Then again, she'd only spoken to her once before.

"And Happy... uh... I'm sorry, what is it again? With your candles in the window? I'm not familiar with the traditions of your ... people." Janet tried to appear legitimately interested in the subject she'd broached.

"Hanukkah," Ziva said. "I am Jewish. And so we celebrate Hanukkah. Tony is Catholic and so we celebrate Christmas, also."

"Yes, well..." Janet smiled. "Isn't that nice?" She smoothed Muffsy's sweater. "We'd best be going. Muffsy's due for her Christmas photo shoot in an hour. Merry Merry to you and Tommy."

"Tony," Ziva corrected.

"Oh yes, him too." Janet said, hurriedly making her way off Ziva's front porch. "And that other adorable little boy of yours."

"We have a daughter," Ziva replied.

"Of course," Janet said, heading down the front steps. Ziva closed the front door, rolling her eyes and sighing. She and Tony really liked the Brannons' children, Piper and Peter, but their parents were another story.

McFlea sadly padded into the living room, his reindeer ears now half hanging off his head. Only one of the little bells on his collar jingled. He lay down at Ziva's feet, whimpering pathetically.

"Can you ever forgive me?" Ziva asked as she removed McFlea's reindeer ears and jingly collar. McFlea answered by sweetly licking Ziva's face. She raised an eyebrow in the direction of the Brannon home. "Perhaps Muffsy would like a Hanukkah sweater. It would be a top secret mission and I would need a partner..." McFlea barked happily, tail wagging a mile a minute as he pricked up his ears, awaiting further instructions.


	70. My Heart Belongs To Daddy

Title: My Heart Belongs To Daddy  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Someone's a new daddy at Camp DiNozzo.

**-------------------- My Heart Belongs To Daddy ---------------------**

Ziva and Sarah, bundled against the afternoon chill in winter hats, coats and gloves, watched Tony work on his vintage '66 Mustang in the driveway next to the house. Tony was intent on making sure both his 'Stang and Ziva's red Mini had enough antifreeze to bear up against the harsh D.C. cold. Ziva sipped a mug of hot chocolate as she snuggled under a woolen blanket with Sarah, who also occasionally took tiny sips of the now-lukewarm cocoa. Tony, taking a break from his mechanic work, walked over to join them on the front porch. Ziva handed him his mug of cocoa and he took a big swig of the sweet, warm liquid.

"Ahhhhh," he said, smacking his lips, "gooooood cocoa!" Tony gave Ziva a little kiss on the lips. "Mmmm... Chocolately!" he joked, grinning. Then, looking out into the yard, he noticed KittyKate appearing to stalk something in one of the bushes near the fence. Shortly thereafter, McFlea trotted up. In his mouth, he carried an old, torn blanket from the garage.

"Hey! That's one of the blankets I use to keep the 'Stang's engine warm on freezing nights!" Tony groused, frowning. McFlea stood next to KittyKate, the blanket in his mouth, as she inspected it with her paw. After a minute or two, McFlea and KittyKate ducked under the bush near the fence and started rattling around. The little bush shook as the pair worked on... something.

"I wonder what they are up to," Ziva mused, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe they are burying the blanket." She thought for a minute. "But I cannot imagine why." Sarah shrugged her tiny shoulders, giving her Mommy a blank look.

"Oh, I know why," Tony said. "Because they're both NUTS!" He finished off his cocoa. "Well, I'm not gonna sacrifice my baby's blanket for them to play around in the freezing cold. Now it's gonna be all dirty." He snarled, pulling down his skullcap as he prepared to go retrieve the item.

"That is not one of Sarah's blankets," Ziva corrected.

"I'm talking about my OTHER baby," Tony explained. "The one that goes from zero-to-sixty in less than a minute and runs on premium unleaded." He looked back at Ziva. "If the cat attacks me, you'll go ninja on her, right?" Ziva smiled primly at him. Tony frowned. "Yeeeeah. I love you, too, Sweet Cheeks." Growling, Tony started for the yard.

When he got to the little bush, KittyKate met him, hissing.

"Listen, you!" Tony snapped. "Remember who feeds you. Who gives you a place to crash at night. Who keeps you in that catnip you get loopy over." KittyKate stared at him, flicking her tail. "That's right -- it's Ziva. But I live here, too, so back off. My Mustang needs her blankie-boo. We're gonna be in the single digits tonight. Terrible for her carburetor. I can't take that chance."

Tony bent down, moving to grab the blanket from where KittyKate and McFlea had managed to wrap it around the base of the bush. Carefully pushing the bush back, Tony saw McFlea laying on part of the blanket. Beside him, three baby squirrels dozed. McFlea was half asleep himself. When he saw Tony, he pricked up his ears slightly and let out a tired little growl.

"Oh, you DIDN'T!" Tony hissed, looking again at the baby squirrels. KittyKate sidled around Tony and snuggled in on the other side of the tiny sleeping figures. Tony's eyes went wide. "Not you too," he sighed. Backing out of the bush, Tony stood, shook his head and returned to join Ziva and Sarah on the porch.

"What is going on with them in that bush?" Ziva asked.

"The Zoo just got bigger," Tony groaned. Ziva looked shocked.

"Tony... You do not mean... There is no WAY..." Ziva glanced over at the little bush again, stunned.

"Huh? Naaaah! Babies, yes. Weird baby cat-dogs, no. Adopted baby squirrels? OH yes!" Tony answered, nodding his head up and down.

"Baby squirrels?" Ziva echoed. "They are caring for them?"

"Doin' everything but spoon-feeding 'em and singing 'em lullabies," Tony replied. "Maybe those two squirrels McSoftHeart was ridin' around on his back that day turned out to be delinquent parents. Figures."

"That is... sweet, I think," Ziva said. "Our son wants to be a father." She giggled. "I believe you will soon need to have the... _talk_... with him, Tony. About the birds and the fleas."

"_Bees_," Tony corrected. "He knows all about fleas. Named after 'em." Tony sighed. "God help us if he knocks up some girl dog in the neighborhood. Can you imagine what a shotgun wedding for two mutts would be like? I'd hate to be in the middle of that fight for the bride's bouquet. You'd need stitches and a round of tetanus shots." He shivered, grimacing. Ziva looked at Tony like he was crazy.

"I do not think we have to worry about that," Ziva reasoned. "But let's keep an eye on him for a while."

"And polish up the shotgun," Tony said, staring out at the little bush.


	71. Triple Trouble

Title: Triple Trouble  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: McFlea's adopted babies make a house call.

**-------------------- Triple Trouble ---------------------**

"Tony, make McFlea come back inside the house," Ziva implored, looking concerned as she stared out the front window at the little bush by the fence where the family's young black lab terrier mix (along with his girlfriend, KittyKate) were caring for a trio of abandoned baby squirrels. "I do not want him to take the spine flu."

Ziva really was worried that McFlea was spending too much time out in the cold with the tiny babies. KittyKate went out three times daily to suckle the little squirrels but otherwise left them to fend for themselves in the old raggedy shop blanket McFlea had dragged to the bush so the babies would stay warm. Although touched by her dog's fatherly instincts, she didn't want him getting sick.

"Mmmm-hmmm..." Tony, who'd been napping in his easy chair by the fireside, mumbled. "Go shine glue..." He snorted, smacked his lips and dozed off again. Ziva rolled her eyes in frustration. Tony had been asleep practically since he'd gotten out of bed that morning and hadn't accomplished anything on his 'Honey-Do' list. This, Ziva figured, was a job he could certainly handle.

Just as she was about to smack the bottom of Tony's feet with a rolled-up copy of her latest issue from Glock Of The Month Club, Ziva noticed McFlea trotting across the yard with the old blanket on his back. Furrowing her brow at his strange antics, Ziva watched McFlea's progress. He carefully made his way onto the front porch and barked -- his way of asking to be let into the house. Ziva obliged, opening the door. McFlea trotted in, blanket draping him as if he were wearing a cape.

"Hold it!" Ziva said, putting up her hand. McFlea stopped, panting as he looked up at her. "What have you got under that blanket, McFlea?" His gentle brown eyes wide as saucers, McFlea let out a little confused whine. Ziva tenderly plucked the old blanket off McFlea's back and found the three baby squirrels curled up together on his back, their fuzzy little tails wrapped around each other. When the blanket was removed, the middle baby poked his head up, sniffed and looked around. He chattered something to the other two babies, who also looked up. McFlea stood patiently, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

"TONY!" Ziva yelled. "WE HAVE A LITTLE PROBLEM!"

Tony groaned from his chair, frowning in his sleep as he muttered "Mmmm-hmmm... Fiddle fo-fum..."

Ziva, who'd had enough by now, positioned herself next to Tony's ear.

"TOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Tony jumped up in utter shock, nearly falling out of his chair. McFlea whined, his ears aching from Ziva's high-pitched scream. The baby squirrels chattered in protest.

"I'M ON IT! ON YOUR SIX!" Tony, still only half-awake and in a complete daze, got out of his chair and reeled around the room like a madman. Ziva crossed her arms, pursing her lips as she watched the scene. "GLUE! WHERE'S THE GLUE?" He stumbled over to McFlea. "Do YOU know?" he asked. McFlea pricked up his ears, whimpering. The baby squirrels eyeballed Tony suspiciously, sniffing at the air in his direction. "Do THEY know?" he asked McFlea again, still not quite aware of what was going on around him.

Ziva marched over to Tony, yanking him up by his sweatshirt collar.

"BREAK OUT OF IT!" she commanded. "McFlea has brought his babies into the house and while it is a kind gesture, they CANNOT stay." She held both sides of Tony's face, forcing him to look at her. He grimaced, his eyes popping wide with sudden surprise. "TAKE them somewhere where they will be WARM so that McFlea will NOT continue to give them TOURS of our HOME!" Then she looked down at McFlea and the tiny squirrels. "No offense," Ziva added sincerely.

"_Snap_..." Tony gasped, his face still in Ziva's hands. "It's... _snap_... out... of... it... my... darling..." He gasped again. "... lotus flower..." Now awakened in the rudest manner, Tony was determined to finish this job as quickly as possible -- so he could get back to his chair and return to his napping. Wrenching his face from Ziva's grasp, Tony glared down at McFlea, hands on his hips. "YOU," he snapped, "come with ME!" Turning on his heels, Tony headed for the kitchen area to put on his shoes. McFlea and the squirrels started to follow.

"Wait a minute!" Ziva said, stopping McFlea. He looked up at her again. She tenderly draped the blanket back over the baby squirrels. "It is cold outside. I do not want anyone receiving the cold."

"_CATCHING_ a cold!" Tony corrected, yelling from the next room. "NOW, McOctomutt!" McFlea, the babies and the blanket all trotted to join Tony. Shoes, coat and toboggan cap on, Tony ushered McFlea out the back door. Together, they made their way to the garage.

"That back corner," Tony ordered brusquely, pointing to a bare but cozy area of the garage. McFlea deposited the blanket and the baby squirrels where Tony directed, carefully arranging the blanket into a nest-like form so the babies would stay warm. Tony cracked a window ever so slightly, ensuring they would have fresh air and set a little bowl of water near the little squirrels. "That's for when KateyK isn't around," he said to McFlea, "so they have something to drink, okay? Now you can take 'em out in the yard for food but I don't want this place gettin' messy, got it?" McFlea growled in response. The three little squirrels settled into their blanket, comfortable in their new home. "Alright, McDad, time to go back in our house and get YOU in the tub. You need to warm up."

Before they left, McFlea walked over one more time to check on the babies, tugging tenderly at the blanket to make sure the trio was well-covered. The babies chattered, fluffed their tiny tails and snuggled together to sleep. When McFlea returned, Tony knelt down and gave him a good scratch behind the ears.

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Tony said softly, hugging McFlea to his chest, "We'll get 'em a nightlight. I promise."


	72. Home For The Holidays Pt 1

Title: Home For The Holidays Pt. 1  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: A blizzard hits D.C. and EVERYONE ends up at Camp DiNozzo. (Seriously. EVERYONE.)  
**  
-------------------- Home For The Holidays Pt. 1 ---------------------**

"Okay, Sweet Cheeks? I know there's a big storm coming but you're supposed to watch The Weather Channel to get the day's forecast -- not to follow it minute by minute like you're keeping up with an unfolding 'baby being rescued from a well' drama." Tony frowned, shaking his head at Ziva, who had been keeping track of all the news on the predicted blizzard conditions for Washington D.C. the weekend before Christmas.

"We may receive perhaps a FOOT of snow, Tony," Ziva shot back. "I think that is worth keeping myself _pasted_ to the television." She was transfixed on a reporter broadcasting from an area getting heavy snow. In her lap, McFlea slept soundly. He was exhausted from tending to the baby squirrels all morning, making sure they were warm and well-fed out in the garage. KittyKate, who'd handled the "well-fed" part, napped back in the nursery.

"_Glued_," Tony corrected. "_Glued_ to the TV, my meteorologist." He glanced out the front window, where the wind had picked up and snow was just starting to fall. "Huh... Abby's here. With McGee. They say anything about stoppin' by?" Ziva, focused on the predicted storm track, shook her head "no." Tony raised an eyebrow and greeted his guests at the door before they could ring the bell. "Heh hey HEY, Abs!" Tony smiled brightly. He leaned in towards Abby's ear, whispering, "Psst! You know you got a McGoo followin' you?" Abby giggled. McGee snarled at Tony, a look that Tony returned in kind.

"We're here to see YOU guys before the blizzard!" Abby chirped. "And to pick up KittyKate for the weekend." She headed inside, removing her black winter gear as she joined Ziva by the TV.

"I hope you've got your thermal undies on, Probie," Tony teased, "because you won't have HER love to keep you warm!" Sticking his tongue out at McGee, he closed the door, laughing.

"Speaking of underwear, Tony," McGee said in all seriousness, "Yours is on public display." He nodded down at Tony's jeans front. "Barn door's open." Tony's eyes widened in panic and he immediately looked down to check his zipper. When he saw that his fly was zipped and McGee had suckered him with the age-old gag, he snarled at his friend threateningly.

"Oh, you'll _pay_ for that, McSneaky," Tony hissed. McGee just smiled and went to join Abby and Ziva. Shortly, KittyKate skittered into the living room, leaping into Abby's lap.

"THERE'S my sweet girl!" Abby cooed, giving her black cat a big hug. KittyKate purred, licking Abby's cheek. "Whoa... Hang on just a darn minute..." Abby frowned, getting a look at KittyKate's belly. "Somebody's been breastfeeding!" Tim eyeballed KittyKate oddly and Abby pulled her even closer. "Timmy! Turn around! Eyes THAT way, Mister!" Abby shielded KittyKate's belly from his view. Tony snickered. "And I want an explanation from YOU, Uncle TONY!" Abby demanded, scrunching up her face. Tony blanched at her tone, grimacing.

"She and McFlea have adopted three baby squirrels," Ziva calmly explained, engrossed in the TV video of a reporter doing a live shot in near-whiteout conditions from Virginia. "KittyKate has been kind enough to suckle them since their mother has abandoned them." At the word "suckle," Tony made a "yuck" face.

"What's wrong, Tony?" McGee asked, raising an eyebrow. "The word 'suckle' bother you for some reason? Bring up some deep-seated psychological issues?" Tim grinned, knowing he was getting under Tony's skin.

"YOU _suck_-le, Dr. McPhil," Tony sneered. He stuck his tongue out at Tim, who did a double-take and then stuck his tongue out at Tony in response. Suddenly, Tony felt someone slap the back of his head from behind, startling him momentarily.

"Watch yer mouth around my dad, DiNozzo," Gibbs said quietly, walking past Tony towards the kitchen. Under one arm, he carried a twelve-pack of beer. Then, Tony felt another less hard slap upside the back of his head, startling him once again.

"And there's ladies present, son," Jack Gibbs said to Tony as he, too, walked by. He winked at Tony, though, his blue eyes sparkling. "Ziva! Abby! Tim! Merry Christmas!" He took a seat in Tony's easy chair. Tony rubbed the back of his head. Gibbs returned, joining Tim and Ziva on the sofa. Abby, still petting KittyKate, sat cross-legged on the floor next to Gibbs.

Just then, Sarah came running into the room with Tony The Tiger under one arm and Jenny Giraffe under the other. She made a beeline for... Jack Gibbs. Gibbs, McGee and Tony all made pouting faces, jealous that Sarah had passed them by for someone new. Sarah quite seriously introduced Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe to Jack, who was exceptionally pleased to meet such kind friends. Gibbs' ice blue eyes sparkled as he watched his father and Sarah interact.

"Gettin' real bad out there," Gibbs said, glancing out the front window at the winds and snow, which had both picked up substantially. "Dad and I better head out soon."

"Aw, we got plenty of time to hit the road, Leroy," Jack said, bouncing Sarah on his knee.

"And we would not have you drive in this weather, anyway," Ziva said. "Any of you. We have a guest room, the sofa folds out into a bed, there is a small daybed in Sarah's room and Tony and I have sleeping bags. You will all stay with us tonight." She smiled primly. Tony chuckled nervously, looking taken aback by the sudden announcement.

"Sweet Cheeks? Could I possibly tear you away from the latest breaking Blizzard 2009 coverage for a minute? There's... something I meant to show you in the kitchen." Tony smiled one of his big, toothy grins. Ziva stared at him, confused. "Oh yes, it's ... something, alright. In the kitchen. That you need to see. Right now. Please?" Ziva knitted her brows, still unsure of what Tony was talking about, but she rose from the sofa and began following him towards the kitchen area. McFlea, roused from his nap, moved over to McGee's lap and went back to dozing. "We'll be right back, folks," Tony said to the assembled NCIS family. "Little... campfire. Heh." He grinned again and hurried to speak to Ziva.

"What do I need to see?" Ziva asked.

"That we've got FOUR PEOPLE in our living room who YOU just invited to spend the NIGHT!" Tony hissed, whispering. Ziva looked surprised.

"You do not want them to stay? Tony, we cannot send them out in this weather!" Ziva folded her arms. Tony did the same.

"Ziva, they're my friends, too, but..." Tony paused. "I just... I had... plans for us... tonight, y'know? Staying in-type plans? You-and-me plans? Being snowed in and putting the baby to bed early and keeping each other really REEEEEEALLY hot and sweaty sort of plans!"

Before Ziva could reply, she and Tony both heard the front door open and shut, followed by greetings all around from the assembled bunch in the living room. They both peeped out from the kitchen area and saw Ducky and Jimmy Palmer peeling off their winter gear, telling everyone how they'd been driving back from a medical examiner's conference at Monroe University that was cut short by the weather and, seeing as how the power was out at Mallard Manor, Jimmy said, he wasn't comfortable with leaving Dr. Mallard there in the cold. Ducky's two dogs, who loved Sarah, trotted over to lie down on either side of the easy chair. They had once fought with KittyKate, though, and Abby worried about all-out war. Ducky went off into a spiel about having taken them to a Dog Whisperer who now had taught them to love cats as their fellow denizens of the animal kingdom. Tony pushed Ziva back into the kitchen.

"NOW we're up to a party of SIX with three dogs and a cat! Where's everyone gonna sleep? How're we gonna FEED 'em all?" Tony looked sick. Ziva thought the situation over.

"Okay... let's think this through calmly and rationally," she said. "The answer to your many questions, Tony, is that... I don't know." Tony put his head in his hands. Ziva touched his arm tenderly. "But we will figure it out. We have worked through much more difficult situations before on the job. Let us just consider this... a huge party. Let's just... have fun with it." She smiled hopefully.

The doorbell rang.

"So... Are we having fun yet?" Tony asked, smirking.

Tony and Ziva heard the front door open again and, both taking a deep breath, headed to the living room to greet whomever else had just apparently arrived seeking shelter from the storm.

"Ziva? Tony? Hey there... Listen, we... We're so sorry we didn't get a chance to call first before we came here but we literally caught the last taxi from the airport and by the time we got to our hotel, it... it was already closed down. We just... We didn't know where else to go. And, well... Ziva sent your new address in an e-mail asking about the baby..." A young woman held a tiny infant wrapped against the cold in her arms, her husband standing next to her with their luggage.

"Yes, ehhh... We apologize... ehhh... for the sudden... ehhh.... surprise?" The man, a little older than the woman, looked completely miserable in the cold. "I ... ehhh... I not expect the hotel... ehhh... to close."

The assembled group in the living room tried not to stare at the couple, especially the woman who'd been speaking, but given the circumstances it was practically impossible. Gibbs stood and took the couple's luggage. Tim and Jimmy quickly moved to assist him.

Ziva smiled warmly at her new guests, moving to hug the young woman with the baby.

"Jeanne! Alberto! Do not apologize. This is a lovely surprise. We are always glad to see you." She motioned for the pair to join her on the sofa. McFlea jumped down, taking a place by the fireside. "And WHO is this adorable little angel?" Sarah crawled down from Jack's lap into Ziva's to see the baby. Abby, too, moved to get a closer look. Ducky and Jack, who'd been chatting, took a break to hear about Jeanne and Alberto's newborn named, Jeanne told the group, Gabrielle. Alberto quickly pointed out that they called her Gaby, however, because she usually never stopped babbling, eliciting laughs all around.

Tony, who'd been dumbstruck at the sight of Jeanne and Alberto, baby in tow, standing in his living room, had silently headed out to the garage. He hadn't been particularly happy that his romantic plans for an evening at home with Ziva were ruined, but he could live with the inconvenience. After all, Ziva was right; these were their friends and they were in need on this dangerous night. But now, the idea of having his ex-girlfriend who he'd never truly loved and who he still felt uncomfortable around staying in his house? With her husband and newborn baby? This was just too much for Tony to handle. He liked Alberto and he was happy for Jeanne, glad she'd found a good man who loved her and had a family of her own. It was just that he didn't, for some reason, like being around Jeanne although Ziva didn't seem to have a problem with her presence. In fact, the two of them got along well. That, too, bothered Tony and he wasn't sure why.

And so, sitting out in the garage, Tony brooded alone, watching the baby squirrels snooze in their warm blanket.

_I wish I was the one dreaming right now,_ Tony thought, sighing, _instead of living out this nightmare._


	73. Home For The Holidays Pt 2

Title: Home For The Holidays Pt. 2  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Jeanne lets Tony know exactly how she feels about him.

**-------------------- Home For The Holidays Pt. 2 ---------------------**

Lost in his thoughts, Tony didn't even notice the garage door open behind him. McFlea scampered in, heading straight for the baby squirrels. He sniffed at them, gently pulling the raggedy blanket up around them so they'd stay warm. The little squirrels chattered, waking from their sleep, and McFlea lay down beside them. They climbed all over him, happy to see their foster father again. McFlea panted, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. Tony grinned at him, knowing McFlea was happy.

"Well, at least one of us is having a happy holiday," Tony sighed, leaning in to scratch McFlea behind the ears. McFlea yawned, yowling with joy. One of the baby squirrels peeped over McFlea's ears, resting his little paws on McFlea's fuzzy black head. Tony sighed again and smiled weakly.

"He's a good father, isn't he?" Jeanne said, pulling up a folding chair to sit next to Tony. "They seem to really love him."

"Yeah," Tony agreed. Usually, he was startled when Jeanne -- or anyone -- snuck up on him but he'd been somewhat expecting his ex-girlfriend to seek him out and so he wasn't surprised. "I don't think they know he's not a squirrel. Or maybe he doesn't remember that he's a dog." Jeanne laughed.

"Maybe he's been watching you -- with Sarah," she said. "You're a wonderful father, too, Tony." Jeanne and Tony were both silent for a minute. Then Jeanne continued: "I really am sorry that my coming here ruined your holiday plans. I never meant for this to happen."

"Oh... no," Tony stammered guiltily, "that's not... _your_ fault. We just... we weren't expecting any company. And then... _everyone_ showed up." He smiled, trying to act like nothing was wrong, but Jeanne wasn't fooled.

"Come on, Tony," she said, "you're never comfortable when I'm around." Tony looked down. "I can tell. And I understand. Really, I do. I wish it wasn't so awkward for you." Tony and Jeanne watched McFlea playing with the baby squirrels. He rolled over onto his back and the babies scratched at his tummy, chattering away.

"Me, too," Tony replied. "I wish it wasn't still so weird, too. But it is. And I don't know why. Because..." He took a minute to carefully choose his words. "The thing is, I don't have any more feelings for you at all. I mean, we're... friends. In a weird kind of way. But I have a wife. I love Ziva. And I have a baby. You have a husband who you love and now you have a baby." Tony stared into the distance again. "So why does it still feel so strange whenever we're around each other? Seriously, I just don't get it." He really was confused. Jeanne thought it over as well.

"I think it's because we both know we should have never been together," she said. "Certainly not as lovers. And the circumstances... well..." Jeanne sighed. "Everything about our being a couple -- if you can really call us that -- was just so wrong. But now everything -- for both of us -- has turned out right." Jeanne and Tony looked at each other. "Tony, the truth is, I always knew you didn't love me. I knew you loved Ziva, even when I wasn't sure who she was. And, honestly, being with you? That never felt right for me, either. Even before everything... happened... that ended whatever it was we were doing back then, I was sure we wouldn't end up together -- married, having children, having the kind of life that you have with Ziva... and what I have with Alberto. Tony, I love my husband. He's the only man I love and I realize now that he's the only man I've ever really been in love with." She paused. "Really? I just never... I never think about the time I was seeing you. Not anymore. Not since I met Alberto. I only think of you whenever Ziva messages me to ask how we're doing. That's it." Now Jeanne looked down. "I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, Tony. I'm just letting you know that... like you, I've moved on." Tony grinned.

"No hurt feelings, Jeanne," Tony said, really meaning it. "Funny... Everything you just said? Is what I've been trying to put into words but... I couldn't get it all together." He shrugged. "Good to know we're on the same page, huh?"

"Absolutely," Jeanne answered, laughing. "If I ever had the chance to take you back, Tony, well... I wouldn't. Sorry, but that's just how it is. I don't love you."

"Hey! I don't love _you_, either!" Tony laughed, too. "And I wouldn't take _you_ back!" Then Tony hastily added, "No offense."

"None taken," Jeanne said. "You know, you haven't met Gabrielle yet. Just before I came out here, Sarah was trying to teach her how to growl like a tiger. Should I worry?" Tony chuckled, eliciting a smile from Jeanne.

"Only if you notice that she wants to eat all her meat raw and in big hunks," Tony joked. "Or small neighborhood animals start going missing." Jeanne shook her head at how silly Tony was being. "But I wouldn't worry," he said. "Sarah goes from baby to tiger in zero-to-sixty and so far, Ziva and I have managed to survive. I think she'll only try to show the baby how to be a good tiger. After all, Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe there? Are getting married soon. I have to perform the ceremony. Ziva's the Maid of Honor. McFlea and Sarah's other toy, Silly Monkey? Are the Best Men. If you can really call them 'men.'" Tony noticed Jeanne was staring at him, obviously a little confused. "I don't know," he sighed. "Makes perfect sense to her." Jeanne smiled. She and Tony watched as McFlea, having finished playing with the baby squirrels, once again tugged their blanket around them and they settled down in their makeshift nest for another nap. "So whaddaya say you, me and McFlea head back into the Hotel DiNozzo and I talk a little Tiger with your baby girl?" Tony whistled at McFlea, who padded over to him. Helping Jeanne out of her chair, Tony then lifted McFlea into his arms.

"When are you and Ziva going to have another baby tiger of your own?" Jeanne asked. "Sarah seems ready for a little brother or sister."

"Well," Tony said, sighing, "I know that when we took her to see Santa at the department store, she asked for a baby. But then she pointed to a baby doll in the toy store. So for now," he continued, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "we're gonna go with that."


	74. Christmas Kisses

Title: Christmas Kisses  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva exchange Christmas gifts. And more.  
**  
-------------------- Christmas Kisses ---------------------**

"I got _yoooouuu_ a _prehhhhh-sennnnt_," Tony teased, tantalizingly dangling one of Ziva's Christmas gifts out before her. He snickered, sticking out his tongue as he grinned. Then he got a deadly serious look on his handsome face. "Tell me, Ziva David-DiNozzo..." Tony narrowed his eyes, studying Ziva's face intensely. "Have you been a _good_ girl this year?" Ziva squinted back at Tony, growling as she snatched for her gift, a small, wrapped box, which Tony jerked away. "Uh-uh-uh!" Tony scolded, wagging his index finger at Ziva. "That's the kind of thing that will land you on Tony Claus's 'Naughty' List!"

Ziva offered Tony a sultry smile as they sat by the fire, the glow of Christmas tree lights illuminating their faces.

"You would not like me to make your... '_Naughty_' List, Tony?" Ziva purred, raising an eyebrow. "I am surprised."

Tony considered this. He grimaced, realizing what he'd said.

"You're right," Tony replied, frowning. He shoved Ziva's gift towards her. "Be naughty, my ninja. We'll get nice later tonight." Ziva giggled, taking the present. Opening it gingerly, she removed a silver Star of David inlaid with small diamonds. They sparkled in the firelight. Ziva gasped at how lovely the gift was.

"Oh... Tony..." She was so touched by the show of affection that she could hardly speak. "It is... it's beautiful." Tears welled in Ziva's eyes as she leaned over to hug Tony. Sniffling back tears, she clutched him tightly, not wanting to let go.

Tony rubbed her back, taking the opportunity to breathe in the intoxicating scent of her hair and skin. In moments like this, all Tony could think about was how much he loved his wife, who had been his NCIS partner and had become his soulmate, and how much better his life was now with Ziva by his side. He loved everything about her and desperately wanted them to add to their young family with as many children as they could have together. Sarah, who was no longer the infant they'd first taken in, was quickly turning into a toddler who enjoyed getting into everything. She pointed out the babies she saw when they were at the park or the store and looked hopefully at her parents, smiling and asking "Baby?"

"_You're_ beautiful," Tony whispered as he helped Ziva put the necklace on, "so I figured it would be perfect for you." Cupping Ziva's chin in his palm, Tony added in a husky voice, "Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah, Sweet Cheeks." He caressed her cheek as his lips found hers and they kissed, tenderly at first, then deeply and passionately. After a few more kisses, Tony winked at Ziva and asked, "And where is MY present, my little elf? I've worked oh so hard to be a _reeeeeeally_ good boy. Check the records. I have proof." Ziva smirked, running her tongue across her teeth.

"You have also been quite naughty, Tony," she said. "But I think Old Saint Dick will overlook that, my little furry mutt. Because in being naughty, you have actually been nice." Tony smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"Old Saint _Nick_," Tony corrected sweetly. "And you're saying that when I'm naughty, I'm nice. It's good when I'm a bad boy." He lay back on the floor, resting his hands behind his head as he grinned. "Ha hah HAH! Oh, the irony... It isn't lost on me, Snowpuff. I'm a man of contradictions." Tony got a serious look again. "You complete me," he said, ripping off the famous movie quote from "Jerry Maguire." Ziva, confused, stared at him. Tony slyly glanced back at her, seeing that she didn't realize he'd stolen the line. "You got me a tie, didn't you?" Tony grimaced at the thought. "Please say McGeek didn't help you pick it out. I swear he's colorblind. And fashion-blind."

"Here!" Ziva said, slapping Tony's present down onto his little gut as he lay on the floor. He let out a little "oof" sound. Ziva smiled proudly. "Merry Christmas, Tony." Tony lifted himself up on his elbows and unwrapped the package. Inside was a teddy bear with "PAPA" stitched across its chest. Tony frowned, confused. He smiled, unsure of what to say.

"It's... uh... it's cute, honey," Tony said. "Now I can... um... I guess I can start my own Zoo to... uh... compete with Sarah's. Heh."

"Tony," Ziva replied, lying down next to him on the floor, "it is a _Papa_ Bear. Does that not mean anything to you?" Tony thought for a minute.

"Someone's been sleeping in my bed?" he asked jokingly. "Eaten all my porridge?" Tony frowned. "Who eats porridge? And what is it anyway?" He made a "yuck" face. "_Porridge_."

"Tony..." Ziva said, stroking his cheek. She gazed down at him as he studied the fuzzy little stuffed bear. Suddenly, Tony sat up, looking alarmed. Ziva smiled. "I see that the other boot has slipped."

"_Dropped_," Tony croaked, his voice hoarse. "The other _shoe_... _dropped_..." He could hardly speak. Now his breathing was shallow, he was so excited. "Ziva... you're _pregnant_." Ziva's face lit up. Nodding "yes," a huge smile lit up her face and happy tears coursed down her cheeks.

"I am," she said. "One month." Ziva continued, as Tony tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes, "This July, we will have a baby. _Another_ baby. Sarah will have a little sister or brother." Tony, beside himself with joy, took Ziva in his arms and held her, kissing her again and again. "Tony, I love you," Ziva said. "I am so, _so_ happy."

"And I love _you_, Ziva," Tony whispered, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead as he rubbed her tummy. "I'm happy, too, honey. Because this? Is the best Christmas present anyone's ever given me. And it sure beats a tie."


	75. Up On The Housetop

Title: Up On The Housetop  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Santa stops by Camp DiNozzo and a family is reunited.

**-------------------- Up On The Housetop ---------------------**

Ziva lifted Sarah into her arms and together they peeped out the front window, looking to see if they could see Santa's sleigh in the night sky. Sarah sadly shook her head "no" when her mother asked if she had noticed any red-nosed reindeer in the neighborhood. Ziva assured her not to worry; Rudolph and his friends would certainly make a stop at their house later since Sarah had been such a good little girl all year.

"Honey!" Tony yelped, rushing into the living room from the garage where he'd been doing a little Christmas cleaning and, in the process, watching McFlea tend to the baby squirrels. "What are you doing? You don't need to be lifting anything! Here -- fork over the Snugglepumpkin." He reached for Sarah, who clung to Ziva. They both frowned at Tony, who looked surprised at their reaction.

"Tony, I am pregnant. But that does not mean I am now an invalid." She pulled Sarah more tightly to her. "And I will pick up Sarah whenever I please -- IF you do not mind!" Tony slowly put his hands down, sighing.

"Sorry," he said. Turning back towards the garage, he started to exit the room but Ziva reached out, touching Tony's shoulder to stop him. He slowly turned around to look at her.

"No, I am sorry," she replied, looking ashamed for having snapped at Tony. "I did not mean to chew your head, my love. I know you are watching out for my health -- and for our baby's as well. But, Tony, you do not need to treat ME like a baby." Ziva smiled and kissed Tony on the cheek. "I will be fine and our baby will be, too. Trust me. I will be careful."

"Aw, I know, Sweet Cheeks. I'm just excited, that's all. Wanna make sure everything goes okay for you and Baby DiNozzo." Tony rubbed Ziva's flat belly. "That's what we want, isn't it, Sarah?" he cooed, winking at their baby girl. "For Mommy to be happy and healthy and for everything to be all nice and ready when your new little brother or sister gets here?" Sarah clapped, squeaking with glee. Ever since Tony and Ziva had taken her tiny hand and placed it on Ziva's tummy and explained that her little brother or sister was in there, growing into a baby and they'd all meet him or her in a few months, Sarah had been on Cloud Nine. Now she would lay down on the sofa with Ziva and rest her head next to Ziva's tummy so she could babble to the baby. Tony The Tiger also growled at the baby in his friendly way and Jenny Giraffe gave it lots of kisses. Silly Monkey, who only spoke Dog, sometimes danced for the baby in his snappy little sombrero. McFlea and KittyKate both had gotten even more protective of Ziva recently; they, too, made sure to lie next to her whenever she rested.

Just then, the family heard a pained howl from McFlea out in the garage. Tony frowned.

"The heck?" he said, knitting his brow in confusion. "He was just playing with the babies." Tony, Ziva and Sarah all went to see what was the matter.

When they arrived in the garage, they saw McFlea in a panic, burrowing around under the raggedy blanket the baby squirrels had been using as a makeshift nest. Panting, he whined and barked because he couldn't find them.

"Uh-oh," Tony said. "Where'd they go?" He started helping McFlea look for the tiny trio in all corners of the garage. "Don't worry, buddy, we'll find them," he told McFlea, who was now whimpering and crying.

"Tony, look... up there," Ziva said, pointing to the transom window that Tony had cracked weeks before so the babies would have fresh air. Sitting on the windowsill were the three babies and their mother and father -- the squirrels who McFlea had befriended when the family had moved into the house. "I have a feeling that somebody else has been getting a nursery ready for their babies. Perhaps it just took some time." The adult squirrels chattered, seeing McFlea. Having noticed the babies, he calmed down a bit, sitting down and staring up at his little charges. Slowly, the mother and father climbed down from the window and sniffed at McFlea's ears. Chattering some more, they carefully made their way onto his fuzzy black back. He patiently sat, allowing them to take a seat on his fur. Next, the babies clambered down and joined their parents, crawling all over their foster father as he gently lay down and sighed.

"Sad McFee," Sarah said, looking like she might burst into tears any minute. "Good daddy." McFlea whimpered again. The baby squirrels sweetly played with his ears. The adults tenderly scratched his back.

"It's okay, pal," Tony said softly. "I think Mom and Dad here really appreciate you and KittyKate taking care of the babies while they got their nest ready. You really are a good daddy. Sarah's right. I don't think our squirrels are going anywhere." The baby squirrels snuggled next to McFlea and their parents followed suit. McFlea sighed again. But he seemed happier.

Tony, Ziva and Sarah watched as the squirrels all found places on McFlea's back and hung on as he cautiously trotted out of the garage, giving them a ride to the backyard. Finally, the squirrels chattered furiously and McFlea stopped at an oak tree in a far corner of the yard. He sat, letting the family get down and watched as they climbed the tree. The mother went up first, leading the babies into a cozy knothole in the tree trunk. At last the father joined them. Tony, Ziva and Sarah could see that the knothole was neatly tucked in with leaves to keep it nice and warm. The babies popped their little heads out, chattering a temporary goodbye to McFlea. But now he saw that they were just in the backyard and he'd see them every day.

The family, led by McFlea, headed back into their own warm house. Entering the living room, they noticed some presents under the tree that hadn't been there earlier.

"Santa!" Sarah cried, clapping excitedly. "Santa! Santa! Santa!" There were gifts for the whole family, including KittyKate and McFlea. One tiny gift had a tag reading "Baby DiNozzo." All of the presents were from Santa Claus.

Tony and Ziva stared at each other, their eyes wide as saucers.

"How long were we out in that garage?" Tony asked, stunned at the sight before him. Ziva, too, was shocked. She couldn't help but smile, though, as she watched Sarah, McFlea and KittyKate playing by the tree as Sarah went on and on about "Santa Cos."

"Just long enough," Ziva answered. On the other side of the tree, she noticed that another new set of gifts -- all made of wood -- had also been left for the family. No name was on the affixed tags saying who they were from but Ziva knew.

_"Thanks for the ride, Marine! The reindeer really needed the rest. By the way, thanks for letting me drive. I've always wanted to try my hand with a classic 'Cuda!"_

_"Anytime, Santa."_


	76. Santa Baby

Title: Santa Baby  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony Claus comes to town. Ho Ho Ho.  
**  
-------------------- Santa Baby ---------------------**

Noticing that the big black belt of his Santa suit was a little tighter than it had been the prior Christmas Eve, Tony frowned as he studied himself in the mirror. McFlea sat beside him, looking up at his master.

"Shoulda laid off all that egg nog," Tony grumbled. "And the NOG nog. And the brownies. And the cookies. And the... oh, forget it." He sighed, patting his little gut. Looking down at McFlea, he said, "Your Mommy calls this my 'happy tummy.'" Tony pinched his gut. "This look happy to you?" McFlea yawned, lay down and whimpered. "Yeah, that's what I thought," Tony said, lamenting the loss of his once slim figure. "I gotta hit the gym again. Or for the first time, really, I guess. Ever." He growled at the idea of having to sweat on purpose.

Puffing out his chest, Tony went on boldly: "New Year's resolution, McFlea -- in 2010, WE are gonna ship out and shape up. Ohhhhhh yeeeeahhh, pal... It's gonna be you 'n' me, every day, runnin' five miles after I get home from work. By the time the new baby comes, we're gonna be the slimmest, trimmest studs on the block, buddy. WHO'S WITH ME?!!!" Tony, excited by his own little speech, smiled and looked down at McFlea. McFlea only pricked up his ears and whined. "Oh, you WILL get with the program, McLazy," Tony hissed. McFlea got up and padded out of the room. "That's ONE EXTRA MILE for YOU, Mister McSmartyPants!" Tony snarled, hating that he'd lost his audience. He returned to checking out his reflection.

"Is Santa not supposed to have a belly like a bowl full of jam?" Ziva, who'd snuck up behind Tony, teased. Tony jumped, mildly startled. He narrowed his eyes at Ziva's reflection in the mirror as she plopped his Santa hat onto his head.

"_Jelly_," he corrected. "Santa has a belly like a bowl full of _jelly_." Turning back towards his wife, he raised an eyebrow. "Jam? That doesn't even rhyme."

Now Ziva was the one looking confused.

"Alright, so it is jelly... WHICH rhymes. But jelly? Jam? I do not otherwise see the difference." Ziva put Tony's Santa beard on his face. He started to adjust it but she tenderly pushed his hands away as she fixed it the way she wanted it.

"Jam? Doesn't shake. Jelly shakes, Ziva. Jam doesn't. That's why it's jam, not jelly." Tony waited for Ziva to turn away, looking for his Santa gloves, and he quickly fiddled with the Santa beard, placing it where he found it more comfortable.

"You are the expert, my little Santa Bear," Ziva replied, her back still turned, "and you had BETTER put that beard BACK the way I had it BEFORE I turn around, Tony!" Tony snarled, muttering to himself about "secret ninja powers" as he returned the beard to the way Ziva had fixed it. Her back still to Tony, Ziva smiled primly as she found his gloves. "Here, Saint Dick! Now you may slide down the chimney and surprise Sarah!" Handing Tony the gloves, Ziva folded her arms, proud that she had helped her husband prepare for their daughter's first Christmas.

"Saint... _NICK_," Tony said, putting on the white gloves. "There is NO _Saint Dick_!" He thought for a minute, raising an eyebrow as he looked up towards the ceiling. "OK, maybe there is, but not in any Christmas films you'd see on the Family Channel. Or anywhere that _families_ would be. Or _should_ be. Well, not any _normal_ families..." Suddenly, Ziva laid a huge Gibbs-Slap upside the back of Tony's head. He did a double-take, looking stunned.

"Sorry. You were rambling." Ziva shrugged. Tony, standing before her in his Santa suit, simply stared at her.

"You just Gibbs-Slapped SANTA!" he hissed. "BAD... NINJA!"

"Will I be forgiven if I promise to sit on your lap later, Santa, and tell you what a naughty -- and sometimes nice -- girl I have been?" Ziva gave Tony a sexy smile, running her tongue along her teeth. Tony nervously tugged at his Santa beard.

"Ohhhhhhh..." Tony groaned, giddy with desire, "If you sit on Santa's lap later, Sweet Cheeks, you could read your whole Christmas list to that right jolly old elf and I don't think The Man With The Bag would be able to tell the difference between 'naughty' or 'nice' or pick Rudolph's red-nosed reindeer mug outta a police lineup." Tony leaned in towards Ziva, pulling her close against him. "C'mon, my Christmas Goose," he whispered huskily, "let's see Mommy kissing Tony Claus." Ziva giggled as her mouth met Tony's in a tender embrace.

"BAD SANTA!" Sarah, who was standing in the doorway watching the little scene play out, hollered. "YOU NOT DADDY!" Tony's eyes widened in shock. Sarah marched into her parents' bedroom and, mustering all her strength, lifted Tony The Tiger above her head. She smacked Tony Claus on the butt with her favorite toy, repeating "BAD!" and marched out of the room, calling "DADDY! DADDY! SANTA KISS MOMMY!"

"Uh-oh, _Tony Claus_," Ziva laughed, "you are in BIG trouble!" Tony grimaced, glancing towards the door to the hallway where Sarah continued calling for her Daddy.

"No kidding," Tony said, rubbing his rear end where Sarah had smacked him. He looked down sadly at his little gut again. "You, uh, think I can fit in that chimney?" he asked Ziva. "Like, to escape?"


	77. Lean On Me

Title: Lean On Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance; friendship  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva are there for an overwhelmed Ducky.

**-------------------- Lean On Me ---------------------**

"Late again to pick up Sarah at daycare," Tony sighed, holding open the elevator doors for Ziva as they made their exit from the NCIS bullpen after another long day. "We're gonna pay for this, y'know. Oh, there's a Snugglepumpkin Smackdown comin'. I just know it. Kinda like how Batman always knew when Gotham City was in big trouble. Except that I don't need a Bat Signal. Or a young teenage boy dressed in a weird costume to help me in my superhero pursuits. I mean, we already have McGeek for that. And his sense of fashion is pretty..."

Suddenly, Ziva smacked Tony upside the back of his head as the elevator doors closed. He did a double-take, his eyes popping wide with surprise.

"Once again," she said matter-of-factly, "you were rambling. It had to be done." Tony rubbed the back of his head, his face scarlet with anger.

"Sweet Cheeks, may I make just one simple, _meager_ request of you, love of my life?" Tony, smiling broadly, asked Ziva as he punched the "Down" button."I know that you're carrying our child, my ninja -- and that fills me with unbridled joy, really it does _-- _but_... stop... Gibbs-slapping... me... NOW!_" he hissed, snarling at his wife. Ziva simply shrugged, rolling her eyes at Tony's theatrics. "And I _love_ you, Angel Kisses," Tony added, leaning in to give Ziva a peck on the cheek. But she quickly moved away, pressing the elevator button for Ducky's floor. Tony stumbled, his lips meeting the elevator wall in an impromptu smooch as he caught himself to keep from falling. He frowned, making a "yuck" face as he wiped his mouth. "Oh, Cuddle Bucket?" Tony chirped, checking the back of his head one more time for knots, "Why are we heading down to Ducky's when we're already running late to get the baby?"

"Because Gibbs asked me to check with Ducky regarding any report on the skeletal remains we brought in for identification yesterday," Ziva replied. "I need only to ask if there is anything prepared yet for Gibbs. We will be finished in two shakes of a goat's behind."

"_A_ _lamb's tail_, my little Muhammad Ali," Tony corrected. "_Two shakes of a lamb's tail_." He leaned over for another little kiss but Ziva suddenly turned to face him.

"Lamb's tail... goat's behind... Exactly WHAT is the difference?" Ziva furrowed her brow, studying Tony quizzically. "WHY are Americans so overly concerned with your little sayings? You are acting like..."

"... idiots over idioms?" Tony said, raising an eyebrow in a sexy way. "Nerds about words? Geeks when we SPEAK? Ha hah HAH! Well, my darling mistress of the malaprop, lemme tell YOU a thing or two about the old English language and how..."

"... you flog its proper usage and grammatical structure on a daily basis, Anthony, as if you were performing an ancient Inquisition ritual?" Ducky, who was preparing to leave for the evening himself, met Tony and Ziva when the elevator doors opened to his floor.

"Heh... Yes," Tony stammered, surprised at Ducky's harsh tone. "That's... exactly what I was going to say." He grimaced slightly and looked away. Ducky, looking tired and harried, stepped into the elevator and pushed the "Up" button. Ziva and Tony shared a look; both were confused about Ducky's bad mood. Ziva, smiling sweetly, addressed the doctor.

"Ducky," she began, "I apologize for bringing up business when you are leaving for the day, but Gibbs had asked me to..."

"... get the report on the skeletal remains," Ducky said brusquely, staring blankly at the elevator doors. "Well, Ziva, I can report _only_ to you that I as yet have _no_ report because I as yet have _no_ positive I.D. on our ossified friend. I'm afraid that, for the time being, _Jethro_ will be forced to practice that which I know he absolutely _despises_ -- patience." He adjusted his glasses and, frowning, continued glaring at the doors. Tony and Ziva shared another look, both concerned about their friend.

"What's goin' on, Ducky?" Tony asked softly, stopping the elevator for a conference. Ducky sighed heavily, removed his glasses to clean them and took a deep breath before answering.

"Mother..." Ducky said quietly, "...has taken a turn for the worst, I'm afraid." He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "She rarely recognizes me anymore when I come to visit her at the retirement home and... as a doctor myself, I can see with my own somewhat flawed eyes that she's not long for this world." Tears coursed down Ducky's cheeks, despite his efforts to stop them. He removed his handkerchief, dabbing at his eyes, but still he wept. Ziva took him in her arms and held him, comforting Ducky as he sobbed. Tony found himself wiping back tears, too. "I'm just... just so _tired_ from handling it all," Ducky sobbed. "Her health problems... the medical and legal procedures... all of her daily needs... It's overwhelming."

"Oh, Ducky," Ziva whispered, "I know that we cannot replace your mother. There is no replacement for family -- not really -- but all of us love you. You must know that, Ducky. And Tony and I -- you are family to us. To Sarah. To the baby we are expecting."

"And you always have a home with us, Ducky," Tony said, rubbing his old friend on the back. "We mean that. Wherever we've got a house, you've got a house. Our place isn't as grand as Mallard Manor but we can offer room, board, a ninja baby, a future ninja baby, a dog and cat who're soulmates and have a thing for taking care of baby squirrels..." Tony grinned, prompting Ziva to smile, too. Ducky dried his eyes, replaced his glasses and chuckled.

"Who could possibly refuse such a charming and altogether... strange offer?" Ducky joked. "Perhaps someday, when or if the time is proper, I shall accept." He reached out, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder. "Thank you, Anthony. And you as well, Ziva. Thank you." Ziva hugged Ducky again.

"We are always here to help you with your mother," Ziva said. "You do not have to bear the burden alone."

"That's what family's for," Tony added. "Plus, last time the Corgis were at our house I think McFlea and KateyK worked out some kinda weird deal with 'em to gang up on Muffsy the Pomeranian Princess next door. So please -- remember: _Mi casa es su casa_."

"Yes, well... I can't say I'm surprised. They appear docile but that pair does have a dormant bloodlust, I'm afraid." He paused, sighing. "I'm going to visit Mother at the home now," Ducky said. "But if I need anything..."

"You will call us," Ziva finished for him. "Anytime."

The elevator doors opened and the trio exited. Tony and Ziva walked Ducky to his car.

"Thank you both," Ducky said. "For everything."

"We have done nothing," Ziva said softly.

"Oh, but you have," Ducky replied, giving Ziva a small kiss on the cheek. "You most certainly have. Now I suggest you get to the daycare and pick up young Sarah before she fashions a suitable _rack_ for the both of you out of her Lego blocks." Getting into his car, he grinned, winked, started the engine and drove off into the night.

"Sweet Cheeks?" Tony asked.

"Yes?" Ziva replied as they headed towards her red Mini.

"He's just kidding about those Legos, right?" Tony asked. "Right?"


	78. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Title: What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo welcomes 2010.

**-------------------- What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? ---------------------**

"Mama?" Sarah said, snuggling closer to Ziva as they watched the New Year's Eve festivities on TV from Times Square in New York City. Ziva, normally sound asleep by the midnight hour, had nodded off. Hearing Sarah's tiny voice, she snorted awake. KittyKate, reclining atop the sofa, also woke from her catnap and flicked her tail.

"Yes, my princess?" Ziva replied, hugging her baby girl as she kissed Sarah's forehead. But Sarah said nothing else and simply cuddled Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe to her and worked hard to keep her little eyes open. She, too, was sleepy. Ziva tried, but couldn't stop herself from yawning. Just then Tony bolted into the living room with a huge bowl of hot popcorn, McFlea right on his heels. In his mouth, McFlea carried Silly Monkey.

"Did I miss it? They didn't drop the BIG ball yet, did they?" Ziva sat up, taking the bowl of popcorn, so Tony could relax on the couch behind her. She lay back, resting against his chest. "The old Rockin' New Year's Eve just isn't the same without Dick Clark," Tony said, plucking the popcorn bowl from Ziva's grasp. She pouted, watching Tony stuff a huge handful of the snack into his mouth. He sheepishly offered her some, which she took. "YOU eat up, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said. "You and the baby need to stay strong." He rubbed her still-flat belly.

McFlea jumped onto the sofa next to Sarah and KittyKate made her way down to where he lay. Cuddling beside him, she purred happily as he panted and pawed tenderly at Silly Monkey, letting out gentle little growls -- his way of "talking" to the toy he thought of as his son.

"He wants a baby, too," Ziva said. Tony kissed the back of her neck and smiled.

"He IS a baby," Tony joked. "And speaking of babies, ours is out like a little light." He and Ziva studied the now-sleeping Sarah, whose tiny chest rose and fell silently with each breath.

"I love you, Tony," Ziva said, resting her head against his chest. "Happy New Year, my love."

"I love you, too, Ziva," Tony whispered, pulling his wife into a tender yet passionate kiss. "Happy New Year. But it's gonna be pretty hard to beat last year for making ME happy. I mean, we fell in love... found Sarah... got married... found out we're having a baby... How do we top all that, huh?"

Ziva's dark eyes met his. A sexy grin played at her lips.

"Oh, I am certain will find a way," Ziva said, winking at Tony. "That, I can promise you."


	79. Kiss It Better

Title: Kiss It Better  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: A serious illness brings up questions Tony and Ziva had been avoiding.

**-------------------- Kiss It Better ---------------------**

Sitting on either side of Sarah's crib bed in the Monroe University Hospital Pediatric wing, Ziva and Tony each held one of her small hands as she dozed fitfully, the machines monitoring her temperature, heart rate and pulse oxygen level registering their statistics. With her other hand, Ziva wiped back tears as she watched her baby daughter's chest rise and fall with each labored breath, the two tiny plastic feeders in her little nose supplying Sarah with much-needed oxygen. Tony sat stonefaced, staring at Sarah's little lips. Occasionally she moved them, talking silently as she dreamt. He wondered what, in her special realm of sleep, she was doing -- maybe playing with the tigers, giraffes, lions, monkeys, dogs and cats she loved so much.

Their baby girl was sick. The diagnosis: respiratory syncytial virus. And they hadn't known. They hadn't been prepared. And they were always prepared. Being prepared was their job -- as NCIS agents, as parents.

And they'd failed. That's how they saw it.

On New Year's Eve Sarah had stayed up late with them, watching the big ball drop in Times Square on TV. She'd been excited all day but when evening came on, she'd gotten uncharacteristically quieter. At dinner, she hadn't eaten much and she always finished her plate. "She has your appetite," Ziva teased Tony, "but my metabolism." All night, Sarah had curled up on the sofa with Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe and napped off and on. She didn't play Zoo at all and when McFlea or KittyKate tried to coax her into romping with them around the house, she just sighed and snuggled down deeper into the sofa pillows. At last, when Tony and Ziva put her to bed, she looked a little bit peaked and seemed more tired than normal but they figured it was due to her having stayed up much later than normal for the special holiday.

When Tony woke up on New Year's Day to make breakfast for the family, he went into the nursery to check on Sarah and give her a good morning kiss. Usually he found her awake, playing Zoo in bed, ready to greet the day. But now her covers were a mess, as if she'd tossed and turned all night long, and she lay still asleep. Planting his lips on her tiny forehead, Tony tasted sweat and realized that Sarah was feverish. Her little face was flushed pink and her breathing was ragged. It was then that he'd called out to Ziva that something was wrong, Sarah was sick, call the doctor...

Now, after spending the day between the ER and watching the hospital personnel settle Sarah into her Pediatrics wing room, Tony and Ziva were exhausted but unwilling to leave their daughter's side. Abby was watching McFlea and KittyKate and the entire NCIS family had already dropped by at various times to check in on Sarah, Tony and Ziva's well-being. Ducky was consulting with the doctors and Gibbs had insisted that he would sit night watch so Tony and Ziva could get some sleep. Even the Brannons next door had kindly promised to keep an eye on the house for the family. They'd sent word to Tony and Ziva via Tim, who'd gone by the house to pick up Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe, that they were praying for Sarah to get well and anything they could do for their neighbors, they would. Piper and Peter were drawing "Get Well" cards for Sarah and were asking when they could see her in the hospital. They missed their little friend next door.

But it had been an awkward moment for Tony and Ziva when the ER nurses asked for information regarding Sarah's medical history, blood type, if anyone in their family had suffered certain childhood diseases.

"Our daughter is adopted," Ziva said quietly. "We do not have some of that information." Tony had stared at the floor, the reality of their situation hitting him at that moment, too.

And so, as they sat in the quiet of Sarah's hospital room, Tony and Ziva each silently pondered the questions they'd not had to face since finding Sarah as a baby at a crime scene nearly a year before. Since then, they'd gotten married and adopted Sarah, who'd never been sick. Tony and Ziva hadn't had to consider questions about Sarah's biological parents and they honestly had put off doing so. Now they couldn't ignore those questions any longer. They had to find out as much about Sarah's birth parents as possible, as quickly as possible. Earlier that afternoon, Tony had called Tim to ask if he could seek out the details. "Already on it," Tim had said.

"We should have known, Tony," Ziva said hollowly. "We should have made it our priority to know everything about Sarah, not only the things we chose to know."

"Yeah," Tony sighed. "She's our baby girl. She is. But ... the truth is... she's someone else's baby girl, too. And that matters."

"Both of us knew that it would," Ziva replied quietly. "Someday."

"Someday's here, huh?" Tony said. His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yes," Ziva answered, feeling Sarah gently squeeze her hand. "It appears that it is."

And the rest of the long night was spent in silence.


	80. Collecting You

Title: Collecting You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva learn the truth about Sarah's biological parents.

**-------------------- Collecting You ---------------------**

"So that's what really happened, huh?" Tony said softly, watching Sarah play Zoo in her little hospital bed with Tony The Tiger, Jenny Giraffe and their newest animal friend, a "Get Well" gift from the Brannons next door.

"Yup," Gibbs replied. He held Tony The Tiger in place as Jenny Giraffe gave him a huge kiss.

"And there are no other family members remaining?" Ziva asked. Gibbs shook his head "no." Ziva sighed, knowing how it felt to lose one family member after another. There was nothing reassuring to her about the likelihood that Sarah had no living biological relatives. To Ziva, the news was simply sad.

"Mama! Mama!" Sarah squeaked, waving the new Zoo member at Ziva. Ziva seated herself on the bed and Sarah snuggled against her, handing her mother a fuzzy stuffed camel. "Moooooooo!" Sarah said, making a cow sound. Tony and Gibbs both chuckled.

"No, Princess," Ziva sweetly corrected, "this is not a cow. This is a camel. Can you say that? _Cah-mehl?_ Ca-mel?" Sarah frowned, studying the new toy.

"Cam," she said. "Cama." Patting the little plush camel's hump, she looked up at Ziva to see if she'd gotten it right.

"Well done," Ziva answered, winking. Sarah blushed, smiled and hugged the camel tightly to her chest. Furrowing her brow, Ziva wondered aloud, "A camel is ... different. Why would the Brannons send that to Sarah?" She shrugged then, saying, "Perhaps they know she loves exotic animals."

"They sent a card," Tony said. "Janet wrote it." He studied it, raised an eyebrow and then said, "Ahhhh... THAT explains it." Clearing his throat, Tony began reading: "_Dearest Darling Sarah -- Our entire family is praying that you get well soon and come home to grace our neighborhood with your effervescent joy and good cheer. -- With Best Wishes, The Brannons._" Tony looked up. "Effervescent joy? She's not even one yet." Gibbs and Ziva shook their heads, grinning. "Anyway," Tony continued, "it also says: _P.S. -- Here is a charming camel for you to play with that is, like your mother, native to Israel._"

"Camels are not native to Israel," Ziva said, frowning. "They are native to North Africa and Asia. In Israel, we do not have camels running about all over, contrary to popular belief. Most camels, you will find in our zoos. Donkeys are native to Israel. THEY are what we have used for transportation throughout our history -- NOT camels."

"It's the thought that counts, Sweet Cheeks," Tony replied. "I'm sure they meant well. Even if they aren't geography geniuses. But then again, they DID go to Michigan so..."

"You are right," Ziva sighed. "It is a kind gesture. I will thank them when Sarah is out of the hospital." Sarah once again had the camel "moo" at Tony The Tiger. Ziva smiled, rolling her eyes. "Apparently, our Israeli camel has some cow in his blood."

"So does the Snugglepumpkin," Tony joked. But now, both he and Ziva knew that what he'd said in jest was actually true. Thanks to McGee's quick work researching Sarah's biological parents, they had a clear picture of where their beloved baby girl came from -- and where, if the circumstances had been altogether different, she might have found herself.

Her mother's name had been Kathy and she, along with her younger sister, had grown up on a small farm in Indiana. It hadn't been easy since her father died just before Kathy graduated high school, leaving her mother - who was in failing health - to handle things. And her sister's having run away shortly after their father's passing made things worse. But Kathy was a straight-A student, smart enough to earn a full scholarship to Indiana University. She eventually earned her medical degree and, having signed up to join the Navy and serve in its medical corps upon graduation, found herself working at Bethesda Naval Hospital when she met a handsome Marine just back from his second tour in Iraq. She was assigned to perform the physicals that day for service personnel returning from combat duty and he'd put up a fuss about a "woman doctor" handling such a task. Wasn't there a man around to do this? It was embarrassing.

Kathy let him know politely but firmly that if he wanted his R&R orders, he'd consent to the physical. He wasn't happy but he said okay; he just wanted to get out of Washington and head back home to his family's ranch in Texas. His dad needed help with the cattle and since he'd been away in combat, there was plenty waiting for him to take care of. Kathy told her patient about growing up on a farm. He was impressed. And so, throughout the exam, Kathy and the Marine chatted about their experiences - farm vs. ranch - and how they'd ended up in the military. The Marine's name was Drew. When his vacation was over in two weeks, he'd be stationed at Norfolk. Maybe they could get coffee sometime? See a movie? Have dinner?

They ended up doing all of those things when he returned, having brought Kathy back a sharp-looking Stetson -- "a real cowpoke hat," he'd called it -- and it wasn't long before she and Drew were a couple. Their long, late night talks about their future together included discussions about getting married, having kids, figuring out how they'd make it as a career military couple. They were each dedicated to their military service -- and to one another. Kathy's mother lost her battle with illness while her daughter was in medical school and Drew's mother had died when he was around ten. They both understood loss; now they looked forward to building a family together.

The marriage ceremony, six months later, wasn't fancy -- just Drew's dad and their closest friends at a little military chapel on base. Same for the honeymoon. The two spent a week in a beach house down in Florida, playing in the sand and surf. Then they returned to Norfolk and got back to work. And three months later, when Drew was sent back into combat in Afghanistan, Kathy tearfully kissed him goodbye but she was proud to see her new husband head off to do what he loved: fighting for his country. One month after he was gone, she learned she was pregnant. Drew was thrilled.

One month later, Drew was dead -- killed by a roadside bomb while trying to save a fellow soldier who'd been wounded in an ambush. Kathy would be raising their baby alone.

The news of Drew's death and his subsequent funeral was too much for his father to take. With his wife and only son gone, he grieved himself to his own early grave. "Just went to bed one night and never woke up," the sheriff who called Kathy with the news told her. "Heart attack in his sleep. Dang shame. Real nice family, all of 'em."

So much sudden loss only made Kathy more determined to make a good life for herself and her baby. She knew that's what Drew would have wanted and she'd never been a quitter. _When God closes one door_, she reminded herself on the darkest days, _he opens a window._ That's how it seemed when her sister Kara contacted her out of the blue one day, begging Kathy to forgive her for running away all those years ago. Kara missed her sister, she said, and wanted to reconnect. Kathy decided to give it a chance. After all, the baby should know his or her aunt since there weren't many relatives left.

Kara moved in with Kathy, helping her through her pregnancy. She'd turned her life around, gotten clean from the drugs she'd used as a teenager and during her runaway years, was working a respectable job and looked forward to being there for Kathy and the baby. "I can handle responsibility now, Kath," she'd sworn. "You don't have to worry about that. I'll take good care of the baby if you ever need me to. I promise."

Kathy died during childbirth, never seeing the baby she and Drew had so looked forward to starting their family with. Kara tried her best, at first, to care for the newborn but it wasn't long before the daily responsibility overwhelmed her but she kept trying. And her new boyfriend, himself under stress due to mounting gambling debts, wasn't happy that a crying baby demanded his girlfriend's attention.

Finally, the debts came due. The boyfriend was shot in his car while leaving work one afternoon. No witnesses. But his PDA contained many cellphone calls to Kara -- and her address. Maybe some cash was hidden at the girlfriend's place? The mob shakedown men busted into the small apartment Kara and the baby, who Kathy and Drew had decided to name Sarah Jane, shared. The terrified young woman and tiny infant were kidnapped and taken to a filthy, abandoned apartment. One of the enforcers, however, tossed the baby's shabby little crib in the back of their van before driving off and at the apartment, the baby was placed in her crib while her aunt's life was threatened if she didn't tell them where her now-dead boyfriend had hidden away any cash or valuables. Kara swore that she honestly didn't know. She didn't even know he'd owed any gambling debts. Please just let her take the baby and go home. She'd never say anything about any of this if they'd just let them go - she promised.

"And we thought she was Sarah's mother," Ziva said quietly, pushing back her daughter's hair from her face. "Because of the resemblance. But she was not. We also thought she was raising Sarah in that horrible place." Ziva sighed. "And she was simply an innocent murder victim. I regret that we did not follow up with the Metro detectives as we should have. They said it was a slam-plunk case."

"_Slam-dunk_," Tony softly corrected as he now lay on the bed getting kisses from Jenny Giraffe. "Boss, we really screwed up. And we're sorry. You trained us not to do that and, well, we did."

"Don't think Sarah sees it that way," Gibbs said, winking at Sarah. She blew him kisses from her bed. "Neither do I." He looked up towards the ceiling and smiled. "And I think you got a whole family Up There who'd agree, too."


	81. Stop This Train

Title: Stop This Train  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Sarah's home from the hospital. Tony worries.

**-------------------- Stop This Train ---------------------**

"Who wants French Toast DiNohhhh-zohhhhh?" Tony asked, his green eyes sparkling as he waved a frying pan back and forth in front of his face. "With extra nuuuuuut-megggggg?" He offered up one of his biggest, toothiest smiles.

From where she lay bundled up on the couch under blankets and with nearly every pillow in the house surrounding her, Sarah peeped up from her covers and sleepily squeaked "Me, Daddy." Beside her, McFlea and KittyKate dozed. The entire Zoo was tucked under the blankets as well.

Tony saluted, said "On it, Boss-let!" and ducked back into the kitchen area. Sarah turned back over, closed her little eyes and fell asleep again.

When Tony emerged from the kitchen about 15 minutes later with Sarah's breakfast tray, he found her napping soundly. Because she'd only just gotten home from the hospital and needed her rest, he didn't want to wake her. Returning to the kitchen, he set the tray down on the dining table, sighing.

"French Toast DiNozzo?" Ziva said from behind him. "To what do I owe the honor?" Because she'd snuck up on him, as usual, Tony jumped a little at the sound of his wife's voice. Ziva kissed him on the cheek. Tony sighed again.

"Eat up, Sweet Cheeks, while it's still hot. I cooked it for Sarah but she conked out before I could get it to her," Tony said. He looked down at the table and traced a nondescript pattern on the polished wood. "She's been sleeping so much since we got her home. You think she's okay?"

"She will be fine, Tony," Ziva replied, carefully cutting her French Toast DiNozzo into small cubes. "The doctor said she needs plenty of rest and that is what she is getting. Sleep is good for her. It gives her body a chance to heal."

"Yeah, but... I dunno," Tony sighed. "She's just always runnin' around and going full-tilt. I guess I'm not used to seeing her so quiet and tired, that's all."

"You are also not used to seeing her not eat everything in the refrigerator," Ziva teased, smiling. "Well, not before YOU fire a round at it, anyway."

Tony looked confused.

"Fire a round at it? At the fridge? Why would I fire a round at the refrigerator?" He frowned, trying to figure out what Ziva meant. When it hit him, he raised his eyebrows and said, "Ahhhh... _Take a shot at it._ Gotcha." Now Ziva looked confused. But she continued eating her breakfast. Tony took a sip of his coffee, rubbed the back of his head and closed his eyes. "I just wish sometimes that we could go back to when we first found Sarah and she was such a little tiny baby and we could protect her all over again and keep her from getting so big and getting... sick like this. 'Cause you know this is just the start of it, Z. The more she grows, the more she's gonna get into and the more we're gonna be taking her to the doctor and worrying and..." He sighed again. "I don't know. I just don't know."

Ziva reached over and took Tony's hand.

"Sarah will always be our baby," she said reassuringly. "No matter how much she grows. And so will the new baby. That, you _do_ know, Tony."

"Yeah," Tony whispered, tenderly squeezing Ziva's hand in his. "They will." He smiled, happy with the thought.

"And," Ziva added with a wry smirk, "you are forgetting someone."

Tony smirked back at Ziva. He took another sip of his coffee and closed his eyes again.

"Ah yes," he said. "Our little fuzzy McBundle of Joy. He'll _never_ grow up."


	82. Here Comes Your Man

Title: Here Comes Your Man  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony runs into an old frat brother and takes stock of how his life has changed.

**-------------------- Here Comes Your Man ---------------------**

Sipping his coffee as he looked over the Sports section in the newspaper, Tony frowned at what he read.

"Damn 'Skins. Another season down the drain," he muttered, smacking his lips as he lifted a blueberry scone to his mouth. He took a huge bite and, closing his eyes, savored its sweetness as he chewed. Then he enjoyed another long, luxurious sip of hot coffee. Sensing he was being watched, Tony opened his eyes and looked around. But he saw nobody who appeared suspicious.

And then Tony saw nothing at all -- when two meaty hands suddenly clapped over his eyes from behind.

"Hey, hey, hey -- DiNUTZO!"

Tony's shoulders stiffened at the sound of the overly loud voice he remembered all too well. He swallowed hard, wishing this moment would end. The sweaty palms covering his eyes pressed that much more tightly, shaking Tony's head as if to somehow jog his memory.

"Hey, hey, HEY!" Tony snarled, desperately trying to pry the thick hands off his eyes. "_Steppenheimer..._" Tony hissed the name of his old Ohio State Alpha Chi Delta fraternity brother, the one guy from his old house who he never could stand. Wally Steppenheimer had been the "big brother" who took personal pleasure in hazing a freshman Tony mercilessly during the fraternity's Rush Week and Tony never forgave him or forgot the abuse and humiliation he'd suffered at Steppenheimer's hands. And feet. And other assorted body parts, namely after Steppenheimer was blitzed from a kegger and needed what he called "a human pee tree." Throughout Tony's years at Alpha Chi Delta, no matter how popular he was, his Rush Week brothers and those who preceded him in the house would randomly walk up to him around campus or in the frat house and scream "PEE TREE!" and laugh maniacally, leaving Tony shamed. It was all thanks to Steppenheimer.

"DiNutzo, what is UP?" Steppenheimer removed his hands from Tony's eyes and, walking around to the empty chair next to Tony's, plopped down. Tony tried to not appear stunned at his appearance. In college, Steppenheimer had always been a gym rat, top-heavy from lifting weights constantly. Now those chunky muscles were gone, replaced by a large beer belly. Suddenly, Tony didn't feel so guilty about his own little gut. But he nevertheless pushed his scone away. "MAN, it's been a long time, Bro! How the hell are ya?" His old frienemy sported a goatee and a shaved head to try covering his early baldness. He wore a black satiny jacket that read "VEGA$" on the front pocket in yellow and a t-shirt underneath bearing the message "Official Playboy Club Thong Inspector." Tony cringed, seeing this.

"Vegas, eh?" Tony stammered, unsure of what to say. He quickly took another sip of coffee, his green eyes darting towards the door of the coffee shop. _No time for an escape,_ he thought. _Damn the luck._

"Damn straight, hombre," Steppenheimer said, sticking out his tongue as he grinned. "I am livin' the high life in SIN City!" He gave Tony two thumbs up before grabbing the half-eaten scone and shoving it into his mouth. While chewing, he mumbled, "Babes... booze... babes... bars... and babes. That's what I'M talkin' about, DiNutzo! Now...," he wiped crumbs from his mouth, "...what's YOUR story? Still gettin' pantsed by Tri-Delts with a thing for hanging you off chandeliers? Dude, I STILL have the Polaroids of that! Haaaaaaa!" Tony resisted the urge to go for the gun in his shoulder holster. Before Tony could answer, Steppenheimer's eyes traveled down to Tony's left hand, focusing on his wedding ring. "Get the FREAK outta TOWN! You mean some CHICK married YOU? Sheeeee-YEAH!" Steppenheimer howled with laughter. Tony took another sip of coffee.

"Yeah," Tony said crisply, smiling. "Some 'chick' married me. A hot chick. Gorgeous. Exotic. Black hair. Long. Skin smoother than silk. Legs that never stop. Eyes dark enough to lose your soul in. So smokin' she'd set off every fire alarm down The Strip, Steppenheimer." He leaned forward, narrowing his green eyes at his nemesis. "She? Is _neeeen-jah._ And so's our daughter. Gonna turn one in a month or so. Walked when she was five months. RAN when she was four months. How is that possible? Because she's a tiny Atlas. Stronger than the average baby. Blessed with the gift of gab. Genius, too." Steppenheimer gave Tony a blank stare, appearing wholly confused. Tony scratched the back of his head, mugging with his best "thinking hard" face for Steppenheimer's benefit.

"Oh! OHHHH! Hah hah HAH! And get _this_, STEPPENHEIMER -- we're having another baby this July! And then I plan on convincing my lovely bride to do me the honor of letting me be the father of another one of her babies. And another one after that. And then, who knows?" Steppenheimer raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's right, HOMBRE, I'm on a mission to populate the world with as many little DiNozzos as possible. And you wanna know why? So I can send 'em all to Ohio State. So the girls can drive the boys wild because they're that amazing combination of brilliant and beautiful. So the boys can be the Rush Week big brothers to all the little freshmen out there who pledge Alpha Chi Delta. So there'll be a whole new generation of pee trees gracing the ol' campus -- and they'll all be named STEPPENHEIMER!" Tony snarled at his foe, gnashing his teeth, before he sat back in his chair. Draining his coffee cup, Tony plunked it down on the table and crossed his arms as he glared at Steppenheimer. "Now then... I'm sure there are some thongs awaiting your expert inspection, _Wally_. Have a nice trip back to The Strip."

Steppenheimer rose from the chair opposite Tony, glowering down at him.

"You didn't have to get mean, Tony," he said, curling his thick lips into a sneer before hitching up his ill-fitting jeans and ambling off. Tony rolled his eyes and sighed. _That coulda been me,_ he thought.

Shortly thereafter, Ziva, pushing Sarah in her stroller, rapped gently on the large plate glass window next to where Tony sat in the coffee shop. She made a "grrr" face at Tony against the glass. He laughed, glad that he was privy to this playful side of Ziva few others saw. He jumped up and, meeting his wife and daughter outside, helped Sarah out of the stroller. Folding the stroller up, he held the door for Ziva and Sarah as they made their way into the warmth of the shop. Tony quickly placed the stroller next to a cozy sofa by the shop's little fireplace area and, rejoining his girls, hoisted Sarah into his arms as Ziva ordered warm milk for herself, a Baby Black Moo Moo hot chocolate for Sarah and a croissant for the two of them to split. Sarah hugged Tony's neck, giving him "Daddy Kisses" on his cheek. The big show of affection both thrilled and reassured him; when Sarah had been sick it was all she could do to just offer a little smooch from time to time. Now, he knew, his baby girl was finally well.

"I am sorry we are late," Ziva explained, settling in beside Tony on the little sofa. Sarah sat in his lap clutching Jenny Giraffe, the only Zoo member hardy enough to brave the cold that morning. "Sarah and I stopped by the office to pick up some files that I must examine later."

"Sweet Cheeks, it's Saturday," Tony said. "You don't need to work on your off day. You need to rest." He caressed Ziva's small rounded belly; she was just starting to show. "C'mon... Let's just enjoy the day, okay? Pleeeeeease?" Tony pooched his lips out in a big, fake pout. Ziva took his chin in her palm, kissing him gently on the lips.

"Alright," she sighed, grinning. "After breakfast. You have eaten already, my love?" Tony looked over towards the little table where he'd been sitting when Steppenheimer arrived.

"Not exactly," he replied. "I think I'll go get a blueberry scone. I'd kinda lost my appetite before you got here but now... well... it's back."


	83. Whenever, Wherever

Title: Whenever, Wherever  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Just because Ziva's pregnant doesn't mean she doesn't want Tony.

**-------------------- Whenever, Wherever ---------------------**

Whenever she attacked, her target never knew what hit him.

Ziva, using every Mossad skill from her lifetime of training, had tracked his movements for a week. He'd been none the wiser at how she'd noted his patterns -- how he rose every morning precisely at 5 a.m., slapping his alarm clock to silence its incessant bleating; how he didn't actually roll out of his bed until 5:15, when he sat on the bedside, scratching his hairy chest as he yawned and smacked his tongue and lips to get the "morning breath" taste out of his mouth; how he scratched his fuzzy tummy while shuffling to the bathroom, where he turned on the hot water for his shower; how he stripped out of his boxer shorts, stepping into the shower with a sudden, horrible scream when he realized he'd forgotten to turn on any cold water...

This man consumed Ziva's every thought each waking minute of the day. She was locked in, focused on her mission: Select the target, study the target and then, when the moment was right, strike with force. And strike she did - early each morning. And often, during the rest of the day - right up until bedtime. Then she pressed her advantage with her target. He was weary; she, still full of energy. By the late night, he submitted to her every demand without question or fight. His defenses were completely worn down. Ziva dominated him, body and mind.

Tony, examining some files from D.C. Metro on a suspect in a Quantico base break-in, couldn't stop looking up from his desk long enough to get a handle on what he was reading. Because he didn't see Ziva at her desk across the way, he was nervous. Where was she this time? Would he know when she was coming? She wouldn't dare make her move in the office, would she? Would she? What if she did? How would he protect himself? Was there any possible means of...?

The hand on his shoulder caused him to literally leap out of his chair and jump up onto his desk. He assumed his best Bruce Lee-style karate stance from "Enter The Dragon" to defend himself.

"BACK, YOU INSATIABLE VIXEN!" Tony yelled, making little brisk chopping motions with his hands. "THERE'LL BE NO GUERRILLA SEX ON MY WATCH TODAY! HAVEN'T YOU RAVISHED ME ENOUGH? A MAN CAN ONLY STAND SO MUCH NAKED, SWEATY..." He stopped, looking down at his attacker. "Oh. McGoo. It's you. I thought you were an insatiable vixen. My McBad." Tony remained atop the desk, frowning at McGee, who looked up at him as if Tony had finally gone completely insane. "What?" Tony barked. "You act like you've never seen a guy stand on top of his desk before." McGee continued gaping at Tony, who straightened his tie as if nothing odd was going on.

Just then, Tony heard Ziva's laugh echoing from the MTAC area as she and Vance headed down the stairs. Tony's eyes widened; he looked terrified. Jumping down from the desk, he grabbed McGee's jacket lapel and, in a desperate whisper, shrieked, "It's HER! You gotta HIDE me, McGee! If she sees me, she'll take me right here, right now! Maybe on my desk! Maybe on YOUR desk!" Now McGee looked horrified. "Think I'm kidding, Probie-Wan? Trust me. You don't wanna find OUT!" Tim grabbed Tony, whisking him off to the relative safety of the men's room. When Tim returned to his desk, Ziva was waiting for him.

"Tim, have you seen Tony? I need him." Ziva's dark eyes searched the room for her missing husband. Finally she settled her black gaze on McGee, who, in trying to look as if he knew nothing about anything, only succeeded in appearing to know everything about something.

"Nope," Tim quickly answered. "Haven't seen Tony at all, Ziva. Not since I got back from lunch."

"It is 10 a.m.," Ziva said, giving Tim a strange look.

"It was an early ... lunch," McGee stammered. "Or a ... a really late breakfast." He smiled at Ziva. She didn't smile back.

"Tony is hiding from me," Ziva noted, narrowing her eyes at Tim, "and you have helped him." Tim gulped. The fear in his eyes was evident. Ziva flattened both her palms on McGee's desk and leaned down to stare right into his large eyes. "Now... YOU will tell me WHERE my husband is squared up -- BEFORE it becomes necessary for me to demonstrate to you that I have not completely forgotten ALL of my Mossad interrogation training!" Tim scrunched up his face into a frown, thinking about what Ziva had said.

"Squared up? You mean... OHHHH! HOLED UP!" Tim grinned broadly, finally figuring out what Ziva meant. "Where Tony's HOLED up, hiding from you! Ahhhh... makes perfect sense now and... okay, Ziva? That's my WRIST!" Tim grimaced as Ziva twisted his wrist, but he admired her brute strength. "Men's... room..." he groaned. "Please... let... go..." She released his wrist from her grip and Tim winced with pain, massaging his hand.

Stalking angrily towards the men's room, Ziva pushed open the door once she arrived and found... nobody.

The restroom was empty.

Tony was gone.

Arriving home that night, Ziva expected the usual "picked up early by Daddy" greetings when she opened the front door. Sarah, McFlea and KittyKate would rush to meet her, all of them alternately squeaking "Mommy! Mommy!" or barking or mewling like crazy until they all got hugs and kisses. But tonight there was only silence when she entered the house.

This wasn't right. She hadn't seen Tony's Mustang in the driveway but then again, they'd headed into work that morning in her Mini. When he bolted from work early, he'd obviously taken the Metro home. Or a taxi. Maybe even the bus. Perhaps his car was parked in the garage. But he must have gone to pick up Sarah at daycare. And where were the pets? Ziva narrowed her eyes. Their home was never this quiet. Never. And if Tony was home, the lights were on. Ziva didn't like this.

Silently removing her gun from its holster, she quietly made her way along the living room wall towards the kitchen area. Once she'd quickly scanned the dark kitchen, seeing nothing, she continued down the hallway, back still against the wall and gun at the ready. Ziva quietly peeked in Sarah's room. Again, nothing. She took a quick look in the guest room. Nobody there. Same with the main bathroom. All that remained was the master bedroom. The door was closed. She and Tony only closed the door if they wanted time alone when they were home; they never closed their bedroom door when they headed off to work. Whatever was wrong, Ziva thought, she would find the answer in her own bedroom.

She tried to steady her breathing, for once afraid of what awaited her. She didn't like not knowing where her family was. She was worried about Tony, Sarah and their pets. Swallowing hard, Ziva brought the gun up beside her face as she placed a trembling hand on the doorknob.

Flinging open the door, she aimed the gun at whatever -- or whomever -- was in the room.

Tony, who'd been lying on the bed wearing his "special" red satin boxers with the little white hearts on them, jumped up and shouted "DON'T SHOOT, SWEET CHEEKS! FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T SHOOT!" The long-stemmed rose he'd been holding between his teeth fell onto the mattress. Ziva immediately dropped her gun, heaving a huge sigh of relief. "Oh my GOD!" Tony gasped, putting his hand to his heart. "You coulda KILLED me!" He fell straight back onto the bed in dramatic fashion, slapping his other hand over his forehead.

Now Ziva was simply furious.

"YES!" she snapped, holstering her gun as she stomped over to the bed. "YES, Tony, I COULD have KILLED you!" She snatched up the rose and, gripping the stem, batted Tony about the head with it. "WHY?!!!" she screamed as she slapped his face with the red rose. "WHY would you DO this to me?!!! WHY? WHY? WHY?!!!" Tony put up his hands, trying to defend himself against the long-stemmed rose to no avail. Its crimson petals fell all around him, a few dotting his hairy chest. When there was no actual rose left, Ziva threw the stem at Tony and sat on the edge of the bed. She began to sob, hiding her face in her hands. Tony sat up, looking as miserable as he now felt.

"Baby..." he whispered, tenderly stroking her shaking shoulders, "Aw, honey... C'mon... Ziva, don't... Don't cry, baby... Shhhh..." Tony tried to take Ziva in his arms, turning her towards him, but she pushed him away. Undaunted, he once again gently wrapped his strong arms around her. This time she melted into him, burying her face in his shoulder. "Man, I really screwed up, huh?" Tony whispered in Ziva's ear. "Thought I'd surprise you tonight when you got home with a romantic night -- just the two of us -- and look what happens: I almost get you shootin' me and this little rose here becomes a statistic." He looked sadly at the petals and stem next to where they sat. "Poor thing never had a chance." Ziva sniffled; she had to laugh. Tony smiled at her. "Honey, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Planting a soft kiss on her lips, Tony pulled Ziva closer to him and she hugged him tightly in return.

"Why did you hide from me at work?" she asked, wiping her eyes. "And where did you go? Where are Sarah and the pets?"

"Well, Sarah and the other babies are with Abby," Tony explained, rubbing Ziva's back. "And I only hid from you at work because I thought you were gonna jump me again. Like you did this morning. And last night. And yesterday evening when we were washing the dinner dishes. And in the car on the way to pick up Sarah at daycare the other day. And in the supply closet at work the day before that. And when I was shaving the day before that. And when I screamed in the shower the day before THAT." Ziva wiped her eyes again, sighing.

"I believe you have made your point, Tony," she said quietly.

"Oh, no... NO, Sweet Cheeks!" Tony laughed, continuing, "Hey, trust me, I like all the hot pregnancy lovin'! It's great -- I love it that you can't get enough of me... even if I've been acting like I wanted you to back off. I don't... want you to back off. I just didn't want you to want me all over my desk in the bullpen, that's all. And don't say you wouldn't have taken me there because we both know that if the mood hit you, it woulda been Game Over for me no matter if the Boss or Probie or Vance himself were standing front and center with coffee, taking in a free show. That's how crazy you've been about me the past week. So when I was hiding in the men's room I figured I'd drop the babies with Abs, get home early and doll myself up just for you tonight so you could work me over reeeeeeeally good. You know, for ditching you at work." Tony pulled away from Ziva, giving her a serious look. "I've been a bad, baaaad boy, Agent David-DiNozzo. However you decide to deal with me," Tony said huskily, winking at Ziva, "I can take it like a man." Ziva pushed Tony flat on his back, down onto the bed. He grinned eagerly.

"So I have heard," Ziva purred, stroking Tony's chest as he slid his hands beneath her sweater. "Your reputation precedes you."

"And where have you heard about my... reputation?" Tony whispered as Ziva's lips found his.

"I have my sources," she murmured, her mouth meeting Tony's in the first of the night's many passionate kisses.


	84. You Got Growin' Up To Do

Title: You Got Growin' Up To Do  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Sarah meets her other grandfather, Tony DiNozzo Sr., and is less than impressed.  
**  
-------------------- You Got Growin' Up To Do ---------------------**

"No, Sarah," Tony gently corrected as his baby girl put a socket wrench in the greasy gloved palm he stuck out from where he lay underneath his vintage Mustang. "Daddy just needs a regular old wrench, not this special one." His hand shook the socket wrench at Sarah so she'd take it away but she didn't. "Okay, fine," Tony said, taking the socket wrench under the car, "but, y'know, you should listen to Daddy because he knows all about cars and..." He got quiet suddenly; Sarah patiently watched from where she sat by the toolbox. "Well, whaddaya know?" Tony laughed. "That's... exactly the wrench Daddy needed. Thanks, SnuggleStang." Sarah crossed her little arms, satisfied that she'd been right all along, then hopped up and ran into the house to find her mother. Tony The Tiger, half-buried beneath Tony's old blue cap reading "FORD," guarded the tools on the other side of the box. Today he was trying to impress Jenny Giraffe by showing off his skills as a mechanic.

"Nice ride," a smooth masculine voice intoned. "_Almost_ as nice as that '68 Ferrari I had when you were six, but... well... _really_, now -- does _ANY_ car truly compare to a _Ferrari?_ The Italian _craftsmanship_... the classic _styling_... the..."

Tony rolled out from under the Mustang, his face smudged with motor oil.

"Why didn't you tell me you were comin' to town... _Dad?_" Tony's green eyes met a pair, staring down at him, that mirrored his own.

"Because I _know_ how you love _surprises_... _son_," Tony Sr. flashed a dazzling smile. Tony Jr. snarled up in reply.

"Well, I got a couple of those in store for you, too, Pop," Tony answered, wiping the grease from his face as he sat on the driveway. He looked over towards the house, where Ziva and Sarah now made their way outside towards where he'd been working. "And here they come." Tony Sr., dressed in a fine Italian suit, turned to take note of what had his son's interest. Upon seeing Ziva, he straightened and flashed another brilliant smile.

"Ziva!" The senior DiNozzo eyeballed his favorite NCIS agent - other than Tony Jr. - from head to toe. He held out his arms, eager to embrace her. "You look _fabulous_ as always! _Love_ the hair! I _told_ you wearing it down flattered that _gorgeous_ face of yours." He gave Ziva a tight hug, which she accepted warmly. Tony rolled his eyes, mildly annoyed. Looking down at Ziva's belly, Tony Sr. appeared slightly taken aback. "And what's _this?_" he asked, his salesman's smile still plastered on his handsome face. "Looks like _somebody's_ been a _busy_ little bee." He grinned, flashing his dazzling teeth, and winked knowingly. Ziva smiled primly, then glanced down at Tony.

"Uh, Dad?" Tony asked, getting up from the driveway. "Aren't you going to ask why Ziva's here? At my house? On a Saturday afternoon? With a little baby girl in tow?" The elder DiNozzo frowned at his son, confused. "I mean, most fathers might be curious if their sons suddenly turned up with... oh, I dunno... a house and a pregnant woman and a toddler around. Not to mention the dog and cat you haven't met yet." Tony then removed his oil-stained gloves, revealing his wedding band, which he flashed at his father. "See... Dad... I got married this past autumn and..."

"To _Ziva?_" Tony Sr. asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked stunned at the news.

"YES, TO ZIVA!" Tony snapped, his face reddening with anger. He snarled and turned to Ziva for help. She folded her arms across her chest, giggling at the scene.

"Oh," Tony Sr. said, straightening his tie. He found his smile again, but appeared somewhat skeptical. "It's just that..." He laughed in his special, suave manner. "... I assumed you had _much_ better taste, Ziva." Tony gnashed his teeth at his father's words and looked ready to kill. Tony Sr. continued with a wink, "I've always thought you'd be _far_ more suited to an _older_, more... _experienced_... man of the _world._" He gave her another dazzling grin. Tony tightened his grip on the socket wrench he was holding. Ziva, realizing the fun was over, stepped in between father and son.

"Tony..." she began.

"Yes?" the two Tonys answered in unison, both looking directly at her.

"Tony... Senior... I meant," Ziva stammered. "Let us go inside and I will make some coffee. This..." she presented Sarah, who was hiding behind Tony's leg, "is Sarah -- our daughter. Your granddaughter." Tony Sr.'s green eyes lit up. His handsome features brightened.

"_Granddaughter?_" He raised an eyebrow and flashed his amazing smile down at Sarah. Normally anything but shy, she continued shielding herself from him behind her daddy's trouser leg, peeping out at the strange man in the suit. "Well, well, _well!_ Another _lovely_ lady joins the DiNozzo family!" Tony Sr. winked at Sarah, who eyed him suspiciously. She made a dash for the toolbox, grabbed Tony The Tiger and bolted for the safety of the house. Ziva frowned; this wasn't like Sarah at all.

"Tony..." she began again.

"Yes?" the two Tonys again answered.

"Senior," she clarified quickly. "I am sorry. Sarah is not usually so... shy. Don't worry. She will grow hot for you soon enough." The Tonys exchanged raised eyebrows at what Ziva had just said.

"_Warm up_ to you, Dad," Tony explained.

"Ah, I see," Tony Sr. replied, grinning. "I've had _plenty_ of lovely young girls grow hot for me but most of them were at least old enough to have been toilet-trained." He chuckled warmly and Ziva started to lead him towards the house. Tony Sr. continued going on about how marvelous she looked despite being married to "the remake" when she could have had "the original." Ziva, for her part, laughed off Tony Sr.'s comments.

Tony groaned, watching them head up the stairs and make their way into the house.  
_  
Are we having fun yet?_ he thought, sighing as he sat back down on the driveway beside his Mustang.


	85. Papa Don't Preach

Title: Papa Don't Preach  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: The Tonys' family reunion isn't a happy one.

**-------------------- Papa Don't Preach ---------------------**

"Daddy?" Sarah whispered, popping up suddenly from the front seat of Tony's Mustang. She and Tony The Tiger peeped over into the back seat where Tony lay, hiding under his red Ohio State fleece blanket. Tony peeked back out at his baby girl, put his index finger to his lips and made a "Shhh!" sound. From the other end of the blanket, a black head emerged. It panted, its tongue hanging out the side of its mouth. Its ears pricked up, on full alert. It let out a little "Rrr?"-type growl, which made Sarah giggle. "McFEE!" she squeaked excitedly. McFlea wagged his tail, thrilled to see his big sister.

Tony sat up, quickly grabbing Sarah and Tony The Tiger. Hoisting them over the seat, he snuggled them under the blanket next to McFlea and himself. "_Shhhh_, Snugglepumpkin!" Tony cautioned, again putting his finger to his lips as he gave Sarah a serious look. "Daddy's _hiding_." Sarah frowned. Although just a baby, she already knew that her mommy didn't like it when her daddy hid in the garage, usually when her mommy had something for her daddy to do -- like take out the stinky trash.

"BAD Daddy," Sarah scolded. Tony grimaced, trying to get Sarah to quiet down.

"Anthony? Oh, _Annn-thony?_" The sound of his father's too-smooth voice, coming from just outside of the garage, grated on Tony's nerves. He'd been enduring it almost non-stop for two weeks now and his patience with Senior had nearly reached its limit. "_JUNIOR!_ Front and center!" Tony cringed. Sarah hid her face in her daddy's chest.

"See?" Tony whispered to Sarah. "Daddy's hiding... from _HIS_ Daddy!" Sarah nodded, now understanding why she should shush. McFlea, who'd been restlessly fumbling around under the blanket, now played dead.

"Junior?" Tony Sr. opened the garage door, wrinkling his nose at the sight of the oil cans and rags in the workshop. "Anthony, if you're in this ... _shack_ ... show yourself. Ziva wants you." He raised an eyebrow, grinning to himself. "And if Ziva wanted _me_, well... I'd be Johnny on the spot, let me tell you. Ready, willing and _able!_" Under the blanket, Tony gritted his teeth, furious with his father yet again.

"We've been had, Ninjette," Tony sighed softly, giving Sarah a little reassuring kiss on the forehead. "He knows I'm here. Never could get rid of him when I wanted to. Never could find him when I needed to." Tony, Sarah, Tony The Tiger and McFlea all popped up from under the Ohio State blanket in the Mustang. Tony opened the car door and awkwardly made his way out of the back seat, carefully bundling Sarah, McFlea and Tony The Tiger up in the warm fleece. Lifting them into his arms, he asked Senior, "Dad? Could you, uh, please close the door to the 'Stang? We were just hangin' out... you know... listening to the Buckeyes basketball game on the radio." Tony Sr. eyed his son suspiciously, shutting the car door.

"Strange... I didn't _hear_ anything," Senior said, flashing a skeptical smile Tony's way. "And that must be some _fantastic_ radio, son -- if you're able to ... pick up an _Ohio State game_ all the way here in Washington D.C." He straightened his tie -- as always, Senior was impeccably dressed, even though the family was just spending the day around the house -- and stared at his son as if awaiting an explanation. Tony narrowed his green eyes at his father.

"Well," Tony said quietly, a bitter smile playing at his lips, "they say the hearing is one of the first things to go."

"Oh, _they_ do, do _they?_" Senior replied, smirking back at Tony. The pair locked eyes, staring one another down, neither willing to bend. McFlea whined from within the fleece bundle. Tony knelt down, unwrapped the blanket and McFlea bolted for the house with Sarah fast on his heels, dragging Tony The Tiger behind her.

"Why are you here... _Dad?_" Tony folded his arms over his chest. Now there was no smile at all on his face. He was just frustrated with his father. Tony Sr. looked shocked at the question.

"To see _you_, Tony," Senior answered. "To catch up. It's been a while since we've had a chance to talk. I was so busy in Monte Carlo that..."

"... that you never answered the R.S.V.P. to come to my wedding. That you never called me back when I left you messages over the summer telling you that I had great news -- really BIG news -- to tell you about some things happening with me." Tony shook his head in disbelief at his father. "Maybe if you'd have checked your voicemail, you'd have known that Ziva and I were seeing each other. And that we'd found Sarah and were taking care of her. Or that we were getting married. And adopting Sarah." Tony's green eyes flashed with fury. "I wanted you to know all that, _DAD_ -- but you never _called_ me. I would've written you but when I sent letters to your New York address, they all came back "Return To Sender" because you weren't at that address anymore. So I didn't know _WHERE_ you were. Not that, you know, I _worried_ about you or anything. I mean, what kind of son would I be? Worrying about where my dad was when I couldn't get in touch with him?!!!"

"Junior..." Tony Sr. began, reaching out a hand to his son.

"DAMMIT, DAD, STOP CALLING ME JUNIOR!" Tony yelled, backing away. "I'm a MAN! I've got a wife and a baby! And a baby on the way!" Tony's face was scarlet with anger. "And unlike YOU, I'm taking CARE of them all! I'm a HUSBAND to Ziva! A FATHER to Sarah! Unlike YOU, I LOVE my family!" Turning away bitterly, Tony stormed out of the garage. Tony Sr. watched his son stalk down the driveway, turning left towards the little neighborhood park down the street from the house. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes, truly saddened by how his visit had turned out.

"He does not mean that," Ziva, who'd been watching from the garage doorway, said softly. "Tony loves you. You are his father." Senior's shoulders stiffened; he hadn't known she was there. Sarah toddled up to her grandfather and hugged the leg of his expensive trousers. He teared up slightly as he caressed Sarah's little mop of curls.

"I'd like to be," Senior said softly as Sarah's little hand took his, leading him back into the house.


	86. Me Neither

Title: Me Neither  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony finds that his problems may pale in comparison to someone else's.

**-------------------- Me Neither ---------------------**

Sitting alone in the darkness of the neighborhood park, Tony shivered against the nighttime chill. Because he'd stalked off so suddenly after arguing with his father, he hadn't brought along a jacket and now was caught outside wearing only his Ohio State hoodie and jeans. Wrapping his arms tightly around his body for warmth, he snarled. Now he had one more thing to blame Senior for.

The silence was broken by the sound of a basketball slamming against a backboard nearby. Tony looked over towards the basketball court; there hadn't been anyone there when he'd walked past a few minutes before. But now he noted a tall, slim figure chasing down a basketball across the blacktop. The man scooped up the ball and, executing a near-perfect layup, slipped the ball easily through the net. He stepped back to where the foul line was painted, dribbled a couple of times, set himself and shot a free throw -- which clanked off the rim. The ball bounced over to the bench where Tony sat and he picked it up. Standing, Tony bounce-passed it back to the man.

"Thanks," the man said quietly. Tony recognized the voice.

"Brad?" Tony asked. He hadn't seen his neighbor in a while but then again they weren't exactly good friends.

"Oh... Hey, Tony," Brad replied, offering a slight wave of his hand. Tony walked over, trying to figure out how to be as friendly as possible. Brad and his wife Janet had shown Tony and Ziva nothing but contempt since they'd moved into the little house next to the Brannons'. But the Brannon kids, Piper and Peter, were charming and so Tony continued to make an effort with their parents. Nevertheless, it was difficult.

"A little late for practice, isn't it?" Tony joked.

"Absolutely," Brad answered. "About 20 years." Tony had to laugh. Then he sighed.

"Yeah, I lost my free throw skills right around the time I realized I'd rather get a good night's sleep than funnel beer through a keg hose." Brad handed Tony the basketball and Tony set up, taking a free throw. He, too, missed. Shrugging his shoulders, Tony said, "Ahhh, it's all been downhill since the Alpha Chi Delta Last Blast back in '89. Took the campus police two days to break it up. Took our frat two WEEKS to CLEAN it up." Now Brad laughed.

"Man, if I'd pulled anything like that in college my dad would've gone crazy -- or worse: He'd have disinherited me." Brad, who'd grabbed Tony's shot, looked at the ground. "Then again, the upside might've been that I'd still be single."

Tony was stunned by Brad's words. In fact, he wasn't certain if he'd heard his neighbor correctly. He pretended that he hadn't caught Brad's last remark.

"Heh... Well, I guess there's days we all wish we were still on the prowl, huh?" Tony said this only for Brad's benefit. Personally, Tony was thrilled to be off the market. Now that he was married, and happy, with Ziva he realized how miserable he'd been as a single man when he'd spent his days chasing women.

"C'mon, Tony," Brad said, seeing through his neighbor's ruse, "YOU don't." He handed Tony the basketball again. Tony took it and, this time, easily sank a free throw. "You and Ziva have a great marriage. You're happy. Anyone can see that." Tony gave Brad the ball and Brad let it sail through the air. Once again, it missed the net, banking off the backboard. "Must be nice." He sighed, looking terribly depressed.

"Brad, what's going on? Things OK with you and Janet? I mean, I know we've never really talked much but..." Tony was genuinely worried about his neighbor. Brad forced a smile and shook his head.

"Aw, we're fine. Just fine." Brad took a long look at the basketball he held in his hands. "Actually, I better head on home. Janet's probably wondering where I am." He took a deep, ragged breath before saying, in a near-whisper, "Probably." Then Brad gave Tony a friendly punch on the shoulder and said, "See ya, neighbor."

"Yeah," Tony replied, "I'll see you, Brad." He watched Brad slowly walk away and felt sorry for him. Brad had been right; Tony's marriage was a happy one. Obviously, something was wrong in Brad's.

"Do you think he and Janet are having problems?" Ziva, who'd been silently watching from beside a nearby tree, slid her arm through Tony's. She lay her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, poor guy." Tony sighed, then turned and kissed Ziva's forehead. "I was tough on my dad tonight." He felt awful and Ziva knew it.

"You were," she agreed. "He is playing Zoo with Sarah now." Tony grinned, picturing Senior and Sarah together.

"Better head on home, then," Tony said. "Senior's probably wondering where I am." He took a deep breath and then added, in a near-whisper, "Probably."


	87. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye

Title: Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo finds itself saying an awful lot of "so longs."  
**  
-------------------- Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye ---------------------**

As Senior straightened his Italian silk tie and smoothed his hair in front of the guest bedroom mirror, Tony couldn't help but grin at the sight of his father primping and preening.

"Lookin' good," Tony teased, entering the room. He joined Senior before the mirror and the pair jockeyed for position. Tony now also fiddled with his hair and fixed his own tie.

"_Right_ back at 'cha, Junior -- I mean, Tony," Senior said. Satisfied with how he looked, the elder DiNozzo stepped aside and made sure that he'd packed everything just perfectly in his luggage, leaving the entire mirror to Tony.

"Dad, listen..." Tony said, taking a seat on the bed, "I'm sorry about the things I said last night. Look, when I said you didn't love your family I was wrong. I know that's not true and..." Tony Sr. put his hand on his son's shoulder.

"Son, it's okay," Senior said. "You were _angry_ at me because... well... I haven't been around when I should've been." He took a slender cellphone out of the breastpocket of his suit jacket. "Gotta learn to answer this thing more often." He flashed Tony one of his dazzling smiles, but this time it was a genuine grin. Looking at his expensive watch, he cocked his head in Tony's direction. "Time _flies_ when you're having fun," Senior said. "And my flight's leaving in two hours, so..."

"I know, I know," Tony replied, getting up off the bed. "You gotta be there early to hit the Cruisers' Club."

"Yes," Senior sighed. "Today's stewardesses _simply_ don't offer their phone numbers as easily as they used to. I _really_ don't understand this younger generation."

"Flight attendants, Dad," Tony said. "Maybe you'd have better luck if you called them 'flight attendants' instead of 'stewardesses.'"

"Hmmm..." Senior thought about this for a minute. "Well, I _have_ always been a proponent of women's _liberation_, you know."

"Oh yeah," Tony agreed. "You've liberated _plenty_ of 'em -- from their boyfriends, fiancés, husbands..."

Senior grinned. "Never let it be said your old man wasn't a _forward-thinking_ kind of guy, kid."

After dropping his father off at the airport, where he and Senior had taken time to have coffee, say their goodbyes and have a real father-son heart-to-heart, Tony was melancholy as he pulled onto his street and approached the little house where Ziva and Sarah awaited him. Strangely enough, he really missed his father now that Senior was gone. Before he turned in to his own driveway, he suddenly stopped his car. The "For Sale" sign now standing in the Brannons' front yard stunned him.

Once inside the house, he asked Ziva if she knew what was going on next door. She simply shrugged.

"I saw a real estate agent placing the sign there this afternoon. Just after you and your father left for the airport." Ziva looked sad. "I will miss Piper and Peter. They are such sweet children."

"Yeah," Tony agreed. Sarah, who was sad, too, crawled into Tony's arms. "They're the best. Maybe that's why Brad was so depressed last night at the park. I wonder why they're moving? You know, Brad actually seems like a decent guy. I kinda wish I'd gotten to know him better now."

"Even if he is a Michelin Man?" Ziva joked.

"_Michigan_ Man," Tony corrected. "Nobody from Ohio State has anything against that tire company mascot. Unless he roots for Michigan. Anyway, Brad was acting like something's going on with Janet. So maybe that's it."

"Perhaps," Ziva said. "I just hope that the children are alright."

"Me, too," Tony sighed. "Me, too."


	88. Do You Know Me

Title: Do You Know Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony meets his new neighbor, who seems eerily familiar.

**-------------------- Do You Know Me ---------------------**

"Sounds like Brad, Janet and the kids have settled in at their new place," Tony said, flipping his cellphone closed. "Brad says the kids love living in the country and since he's close enough to go to all the Michigan home games now... well... he's happy." Tony rolled his eyes at the thought.

"Who would have guessed that Janet, of all people, wanted to live on a farm?" Ziva still couldn't believe that her seemingly snobby former neighbor had, all along, simply been homesick for the small dairy farm she'd grown up on back in Michigan -- a part of her life she'd kept hidden but had recently realized wasn't the embarrassment she once thought it was. "She did not seem like the sort of woman who enjoyed milking cows and slapping hogs."

"_Slopping_ hogs, Sweet Cheeks," Tony corrected. "Brad says we wouldn't even recognize Janet now. Hasn't worn makeup the whole month since they got back to Michigan. Volunteers with the local church. Heck, she's been baking so many cookies for the family now that Brad said he's gained ten pounds. Wonder how Muffsy's handling it, though. I don't think Pomeranians were bred to keep cows in check."

"Well, I am glad that the move has made Janet happy," Ziva remarked, taking laundry out of the dryer. "I never thought she was as snouty as she appeared."

"_Snooty_," Tony said. "Can't say I'll miss seeing that big, ugly blue Michigan flag hanging next door, though." He snickered. Just then, the doorbell rang. Tony headed into the living room to answer it. Opening the door, he found himself barely able to breathe. It suddenly felt as if someone had reached inside his chest and yanked out his lungs, leaving him with no air.

"This _your_ copy of _Glock Of The Month Club Magazine_?" The woman's voice, tinged with sarcasm, was eerily familiar to Tony. Unable to answer, he stood gaping at her. Everything about her left him with cold chills running down his spine -- her shoulder-length, dark brown hair; her know-it-all smirk; her eyes, which now fixed on him, staring at him as if he were crazy or stupid. She waved the rolled-up magazine back and forth in Tony's face, as if to snap him back to reality. He did a double-take, continuing to stare at her. The woman shook her head ever so slightly at Tony, narrowing her brown eyes at him before slapping the magazine into his hand and saying, "Let's make a deal, OK? _You_ keep _your_ mail in your _own_ mailbox and I won't _ever_ invite you over when my husband and I have a party. Sounds like a win-win for both of us. But mostly for me." Her features were strong and stern but not unattractive. In fact, she was quite beautiful. But he didn't find her personally alluring; she just reminded Tony of someone who had looked after him, someone who didn't flinch from giving him her unabashed opinion, someone who loved him -- not as Ziva loved him, but as a sister loved a brother.

Tony watched the woman walk off his porch and head down the walkway through his front yard. He still couldn't believe his eyes. When she got to the front gate, she turned back towards Tony and, with a smirk, said, "Ohio State? _Really?_" Nodding at his big red flag with the "O" she again shook her head disbelievingly at him and headed for what had been the Brannons' house. It was then that Tony noticed a new flag fluttering where Brad's old Michigan banner once hung. This one had a maroon background and bore the deep yellow "USC" logo for the Southern Cal Trojans. Tony swallowed hard, trying to catch his breath. At the door of her new house, the woman pointed at Tony, squinted and gave him a "fingers to eyes" sign, letting him know that she was watching him. "Hey, honey!" he heard her call out to her as-yet-unseen husband, "Wait'll you meet our new neighbor. REAL nice guy. _Great_ conversationalist." Her deep feminine voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Tony?" Ziva put a hand on her husband's shoulder and Tony jumped.

"_What?_" he snapped, whirling around. "What _is_ it?" Ziva was surprised at how quickly Tony's mood had changed.

"Are you alright?" she asked, peering at his face. "You look as white as a napkin."

"_Sheet_," Tony brusquely corrected, pushing past her. He flipped her magazine onto the sofa. "Here's your magazine. Damn mailman put it in the neighbors' box again."

"Tony, who was that at the door?" Ziva asked. She still wondered what was the matter.

"Nobody," he barked. "And _quit_ sneaking up on me, would ya? I've had enough surprises for one day!"

With that, Tony stalked down the hallway, slamming the door to the master bedroom behind him. Ziva sat down on the sofa, carefully placed her magazine on the end table, rubbed her small, rounded belly and lost herself in thought before finally dozing off.


	89. Mystery Man

Title: Mystery Man  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva wants to learn more about Tony's sudden animosity and the new neighbors.  
**  
-------------------- Mystery Man ---------------------**

Because Tony had been in such a horrible mood ever since their new neighbors moved in, Ziva was determined to find out what was going on. Tony was barely speaking to her, he was uncharacteristically grouchy with Sarah and he snapped at McFlea about everything. The situation had gotten so bad that Abby had taken KittyKate over to the relative safety of Tim's place and was threatening to mount a "rescue mission" for McFlea soon if, as Abby put it, "Tony doesn't stop HIS barking at that poor dog."

Whenever Ziva tried to ask Tony about his encounter with whomever had rung their doorbell, Tony became sullen and went pale. All he would say was "I said I don't wanna talk about it" and then stalk off angrily. He did his best to avoid Ziva at home and at work. Particularly troubling to her was how he'd gone out of his way to keep from being intimate with her. This had never happened before -- not even when they'd had serious arguments -- and Ziva couldn't figure what she'd done or said to make Tony upset. Maybe it had nothing to do with her, but she felt as if she were somehow to blame.

Besides the problems within her own home, Ziva found herself studying the Brannons' old house more and more. The new neighbors had been in the home now for well over a week but Ziva had yet to actually lay eyes on them. Brad and Janet had immediately introduced themselves; the couple next door had not done so. And it was evident that there were two people living there since there were two vehicles parked in the driveway: a sensible but sporty coupe sat beside a racy red motorcycle. The motorcycle haunted Ziva. It was the sort of which Ari had favored.

Today, Tony had gotten up early and, possibly trying to make up for his ill-treatment of Sarah and McFlea the previous week, packed them up in the Mustang for a breakfast at the family's favorite coffee shop. Saturdays were "Dog Days" at the café and its outside porch was covered with plastic so that families could bring their dogs in out of the cold for snacks. Tony asked Ziva somewhat offhandedly if she wanted to come along but she said she felt like sleeping in. In truth, she wanted the time alone to stake out the home next door. It was time to solve the mystery of who their new neighbors were and why they were never seen.

It wasn't difficult for Ziva to make her way, deftly and silently, into the Brannons' old backyard. Flattening herself against the side of the house, she gave each window a cursory peek; all of the blinds were closed, just as she knew they would be. All week long she'd been studying the neighbors' patterns and not once had they made an effort to open any blinds or have the home show any signs of new ownership, save the coupe, the motorcycle and the USC flag that now hung out front where the Michigan banner had been. There would be no mail for this couple in the box out front. Ziva took note that the mailman never stopped at the home anymore. Most likely the pair received their mail at a private box. This, too, piqued her interest. Because it was winter, there was no need for them to handle yard work -- another reason to remain unseen. Having encircled the home once completely unnoticed, Ziva now sidled over to the couple's cars.

Ducking behind the coupe, she peered into the darkly-tinted windows but found it difficult to see inside. Moving in a crouch alongside the car, Ziva carefully rose to try taking a look through the windshield for a clearer view. But the car was spotlessly clean. No personal effects inside. She gave the cycle a quick once-over as well, noting nothing unusual about it either. Disappointed with her fruitless recon mission, Ziva quietly slipped back through an area of the wooden fence that she'd loosened throughout the week, giving her easy access to the old Brannon backyard whenever she wanted it.

Back in her kitchen, Ziva took a seat and, studying the strange home next door through the large window looking out on her own yard, sighed. She was unhappy at not having learned anything more about the new neighbors and was tired from having crept around, being three months pregnant. Lost in her thoughts, her guard down from being worn down by the previous week's events, Ziva was unaware of the man watching her as she rested on the small banquette by the window.

His long, thin fingers tentatively reached out, barely brushing her shoulder.

"Ziva."

His voice, nearly a whisper, sent a chill through her body.

And when she turned to face him, what she saw took her breath away. His black eyes, close-cropped brown hair and the thin, angular lines of his face were the last images she saw before everything went dark.


	90. What I Meant To Say

Title: What I Meant To Say  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's inconsolable after Ziva's trip to the ER.  
**  
-------------------- What I Meant To Say ---------------------**

"Shouldn't one of us at least try to talk to him?" McGee asked, nodding at Tony, who sat in the Monroe University ER waiting room clutching Sarah tightly against his chest. Sarah, her little face streaked with tears, rested her head on Tony's shoulder.

"No way," Abby whispered back. "It was all I could do to get him to let me take McFlea back to your place, remember? Talking to Tony just now was like every fantasy I've ever had about talking to zombies. Except the zombies were more chatty."

"Well, he's upsetting Sarah," McGee said, frowning with concern. He rose from his seat next to Abby. She tugged at Tim's pants leg but he wouldn't be dissuaded and he slowly headed towards Tony. Taking a seat next to his friend, McGee sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Tony, how about I take Sarah and get her some lunch? I'm sure she's hungry and...."

"We just had breakfast," Tony said curtly, hugging Sarah against him. She sniffled, closing her eyes.

"Okay," Tim continued slowly, "but maybe I could take her down to the cafeteria and get her some milk. She's been crying a lot, so..."

"She doesn't want milk," Tony muttered, staring straight ahead at the nurses' station. Tim took a deep breath, determined to give it another shot.

"Maybe if I just walked Sarah over to..." Tim began.

"How 'bout you back off and let me take care of my baby girl, huh?" Tony snapped. "I know what she needs. I'm her father. She needs her mother. She needs her baby brother or sister. That's what she needs. Not lunch. Not milk. Not a walk." He stood suddenly, hoisting Sarah more securely in his arms, and made his way to the nurses' station. "Look, we've been waiting for almost an hour now for information on my wife -- Ziva David-DiNozzo? I wanna see her, OK? Please? She's three months' pregnant. They brought her here because she fainted and the other nurse said the doctor would come get me when they'd finished running tests on her." The nurse said something quietly to Tony, who responded angrily with a loud "Then WHY didn't anyone let me KNOW?!!!" before stalking over to a set of thick double-doors that swooshed open. He and Sarah disappeared into the emergency room treatment area.

Tim and Abby watched the doors slowly close behind their friend and his baby daughter. Abby looked as if she might break down any minute. Tim wrapped his arm around her slim shoulders.

"Timmy?" Abby said, her voice cracking. "Ziva... she's gotta be alright. I mean, she and Tony and Sarah -- they really want that baby."

"I know," Tim replied quietly. He pulled Abby to him just as she began sobbing. "I know, Abs."

* * *

"Smooth move, genius," the woman said, pacing among the unpacked moving boxes in the darkened living room. "I told you I'd handle meeting the neighbors -- especially considering everything we know about them." She stopped pacing and sat beside her husband, who relaxed on the room's only piece of furniture - a sleek modern sofa. "WHY would you break in over there? WHAT were you thinking? WERE you thinking? I mean, I'm just wondering since she's ex-MOSSAD! You think they're not going to start checking into OUR backgrounds? I know her husband seems like an idiot but he's still NCIS and from all we've read, he's a pretty damn good investigator." The husband laughed at his wife's ire, as he usually did. Reaching out his long, slender index finger, he stroked her chin.

"You..." he said huskily in a thick foreign accent, "... are irresistible when you are angry with me." His kind brown eyes searched her face. The woman tried to maintain her stern look but was finding it hard to do. Her husband always had this effect on her. No man was able to disarm her the way he could with just a look, a touch, a smile or that laugh of his. "Do not worry about our neighbors," the man said, a grin playing at his lips. "They are only a happy little domesticated family with a baby, a dog and a cat." He frowned. "I have not seen the cat of late, though. Perhaps the situation, as we have been led to believe, has changed dramatically. I should investigate." He returned his wife's stern look with one of his own. She gave him an incredulous look, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing from him. And then he laughed again, his smile dazzling in the dim light.

"Funny," she said, shaking her head in disgust. She looked away from him, furious at having once again been suckered in to one of his little jokes, which was on her. He nuzzled her neck, brushing his lips against her skin. "Don't," she said flatly. "I have a headache. And I'm washing my hair." The man now planted a heated kiss on her neck and she was finding it hard to resist his overtures. "Really?" she asked. "After what you pulled this morning? You think I'm just gonna..."

But she never finished her thought once his mouth found hers and, yet again, she found herself powerless in his strong arms.

* * *

"Sweet Cheeks?" Tony swallowed hard, tenderly pushing Ziva's black hair back from her face. "You... You okay, honey? How you feeling?" The guilt on his face was evident. He looked haggard and worn down. Sarah sweetly patted her mother's arm. Ziva smiled at both of them.

"I am fine, my love," Ziva answered, taking Tony's hand. He gave her a kiss on her palm. Then Tony held Sarah while she planted a huge kiss on Ziva's cheek, which Ziva returned. Sarah squeaked "Mommy!" and carefully climbed onto the stretcher bed with Ziva. Tony grinned sadly at the scene. He still felt horrible and wholly responsible.

"Ziva, I'm sorry," Tony whispered, caressing his wife's cheek with his thumb. "Baby, I'm so sorry for everything. How I treated you all week... Not talking to you... Not being there for you... Acting like I didn't want you..." He took a deep, ragged breath. "You know I want you. I always want you. I love you, honey. I love you." He looked at Ziva pleadingly. She merely gazed back at Tony with adoration.

"I know that you love me, Tony," she said quietly. "As much as I love you." They stared at each other for a moment. Ziva swallowed hard before saying, "I believe... I understand... why you have been so upset." Tony's green eyes searched hers.

"What happened today?" he asked. "What caused you to faint? The EMTs said a man called and reported that you needed help but when they got there, there wasn't any man around -- just you, unconscious on the floor. They said someone placed a pillow under your head. That it looked like you hadn't been by yourself for long." Tony took another deep breath. "Was there someone in our house, Ziva? A man?"

Ziva's dark eyes were suddenly full of fear. She gripped Tony's hand tightly.

"You will not think I am crazy?" she asked.

"Of course not," Tony said softly, leaning in close. He caressed Ziva's hand to reassure her. "You can tell me anything."

"I saw Ari," Ziva whispered, snuggling against Sarah. "He is alive."


	91. Supernatural

Title: Supernatural  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's determined to exact revenge on the new neighbors. But...

**-------------------- Supernatural ---------------------**

"Already on your six," the man's gruff voice said on the other end of the line. Tony snapped his cellphone shut and, storming out of the hospital with Tim on his heels, stalked furiously in search of his Mustang.

"Tony... Tony?!!!" Tim, who was nearly running to keep up with his friend, was desperate to calm Tony down before the NCIS group was back in the ER at _his_ bedside.

"WHAT?!!!" Tony whipped around to face Tim, rage evident in his green eyes. "WHAT, McGEE?!!!" Tim stood, staring. He'd never seen Tony so angry. "SPEAK, DAMMIT!" Tony screamed. Tim swallowed hard and quickly, carefully considered his next few words.

"I'm coming with you," was all that Tim could come up with.

* * *

When they arrived at Tony's house after dodging every other car on the various roads as if playing some high-tech video game, Tim fell out of the passenger door of the Mustang, puking his guts up. Tony jumped out of the driver's side, slamming the door behind him. His only thought was to bust down the new neighbors' door, kill Ari -- again, apparently, since the first time hadn't worked out so well -- and choke the truth out of his old partner Kate, who'd also come back, it seemed, to mess with his head.

But the USC flag was gone. So was the sporty coupe and the motorcycle. Undaunted, Tony charged through the front yard and, putting every ounce of his strength into it, burst in through the front door.

The house was empty. Spotlessly clean. As if nobody had ever lived there, not even the Brannons.

Breathing hard, gun at the ready, Tony made his way through every room in the place, finding nothing. And nobody. Cold sweat broke out all over his body. Passing back through all the rooms one more time, desperate to find just one tiny of shred of evidence left behind by the neighbors who'd been there the previous week, Tony at last stood alone in the living room. He wasn't sure what to think. That woman had been there, on his porch, handing him Ziva's magazine. She'd taunted him, made sure he noticed her USC flag. Ziva wouldn't lie about seeing a man who looked just like her brother. _What the hell..._ Tony thought, stunned.

"Nobody's home," Gibbs, who'd been watching Tony's panicked search of the house the entire time, said quietly from behind his young agent.

* * *

"This happens ALL the time!" the real estate agent, a hefty 50-something woman wearing too much perfume, huffed as she replanted a "FOR SALE" sign in the now-empty home's front yard. "Oh, they come into the office flashin' around their perfect credit scores and wantin' to pay down as much as they can on a nice little house like this one and then they just up and disappear when the background checks we run on 'em come back." She made a little tut-tut sound in her throat. "I tell ya, this business isn't what it was when I started out way back when. The STORIES I could tell you folks! Oh!" The woman shook her head in disgust as she strode past Tony, who sat on the home's front steps, to examine the busted door. "And just LOOK at this poor little door!" She gave Tony a harsh look. "There was no need for violence!"

"We'll take care of it," Gibbs said softly. "McGee."

"New door'll be delivered this afternoon, Boss," McGee, who still looked green from the drive over, snapped his cellphone shut. "Installed, too," he added helpfully.

The real estate agent fixed her gaze on Tim, smiling in a motherly way.

"Now, YOU look like the sort of nice young man we LIKE to see come into our office," she cooed. "Are you in the market for a home, dear?" Tim raised an eyebrow, sensing he was in for a sales pitch.

"Uhhh... not exactly," he replied. Looking to Gibbs and Tony for help, he found nothing. Gibbs was eyeballing the doorframe; Tony was still too shellshocked to pay attention to anything.

"Well," the real estate agent said, a twinkle having come back into her eye, "Should you ever find yourself ready to make the move into home ownership..." she pursed her lips sweetly and gave Tim a knowing little nudge, "... you just give me a call, OK?"

"Will do," Tim said weakly, forcing a smile as the woman reached up and gave his cheek a hard pinch. Flinching, he stuck the card into his jeans pocket and joined Tony on the steps. "Hey," he said quietly, knowing that Tony was in a dark and dangerous mood, "whoever the people were that moved in here and... got outta Dodge so fast... you know we're gonna find 'em, right?"

"I don't know anything anymore, McGee," Tony sighed. Standing, he walked out into the front yard and stood by the "FOR SALE" sign. Looking over at his own little home, cozy and secure, he wondered if he and his family would ever feel truly safe there again.


	92. Every Time You Turn Around

Title: Every Time You Turn Around  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo get NEW new neighbors.

**-------------------- Every Time You Turn Around ---------------------**

"She looked like Kate," Tony said, holding Ziva in his arms as they lay together in bed. "Not exactly like her but... enough, y'know? That's why I acted so weird. Just... seeing someone who looked that much like her -- gave me the creeps."

"That is how I felt when I found her husband in our house," Ziva replied, staring into the darkness. "It was like looking into Ari's face. But it could not have been him. I know that, Tony. He is dead. And so is Kate. They are gone."

"I know... I know... But then who _were_ they?" Tony asked, nuzzling Ziva's forehead. "And why'd they move in one week and just disappear the next? And what the hell was that guy doing in our house? Doesn't make a damn bit of sense." Ziva stroked Tony's chest. She didn't have the answers, either.

About a month later, Tony noticed a moving van pull up into the driveway of the home next door one Saturday. He'd seen the real estate agent giddily pluck up the "FOR SALE" sign off the front lawn a week before but didn't think much of it. Now, sipping his morning coffee, he called out to Ziva to come take a look. The pair watched as burly men unloaded covered furniture and boxes, moving them from the truck into the house.

"This time?" Tony said to Ziva, "WE'RE gonna make the first introductions." She nodded and they clinked coffee mugs in agreement.

When the moving van left, Tony and Ziva scoped out the home next door for signs of their NEW new neighbor -- or neighbors. Yet again, they didn't see anyone other than the movers actually going into or out of the house and they felt as if they were in for another little mystery.

"If a redheaded woman shows up over here and she's got some kinda weird history with the Boss," Tony muttered to Ziva as the two of them snuck through the specially loosened fence post giving them free access to the neighbors' house, "we're puttin' OUR place up for sale." Ziva started to chide Tony but realized that he perhaps had a point, given the odd recent events, and said nothing. The pair crept through the backyard and flattened themselves against the side of the home. "I'll take this side," Tony whispered to Ziva, "you take that side." She nodded and they split up, each doing recon on opposite sides of the house.

Tony squinted as he peered into the kitchen window. He saw only the boxes the movers had left, waiting to be unpacked. They were all neatly marked -- "DISHES"... "FLATWARE"... "KNICK-KNACKY THINGIES" -- in handwriting that seemed familiar. Tony frowned, trying to think where he'd seen that handwriting before. It was distinctive and quirky. _Knick-knacky thingies?_ Tony thought to himself.

On her side of the house, Ziva was careful to stay quiet as she negotiated a troublesome rose bush. There were no blooms but the thorns were alive and well. Taking a quick glance into what looked to be the master bedroom, she saw several unpacked boxes. Many were carefully marked "THIS END UP -- COMPUTER EQUIPMENT" and "HANDLE WITH CARE -- MONITORS." But it was what lay in the center of the bedroom that took Ziva's breath away.

* * *

"So it didn't work out at the last house," the man in the grey suit said to the man and woman seated before him in the small northern Washington State diner. "But we've found a place for you here that we're certain will be someplace you two will really fit in. Great neighborhood, really friendly people. I don't think you'll have the same ... problem ... you had at the other place." He sipped his coffee and offered a sympathetic smile to the couple. They looked tired and haggard from their cross-country trek.

"You think?" the woman asked, sarcasm evident in her voice. "Because it didn't matter how much information you gave us about that pair next door, they were suspicious of us right from the start. And you know we can't have that."

"This is true," her husband answered. "I did not help when I took the mail for the wife over to her. She saw me and fainted." He looked down, studying his long fingers. "I was only trying to be a good neighbor, that is all." Sighing, he continued, "Sometimes I do not think we will ever be able to live anywhere... safely." His wife took his hand in hers.

"Can you just NOT place us in a neighborhood where there are any feds?" the woman asked. "Or cops or ... people like that? For once, can we just have some normal neighbors? We have it hard enough as it is, you know." The man slipped his arm around his wife's shoulder. She had many times told him how much she hated the forced circumstances of their life, always having to move for their own safety.

"Already done," the man in the suit said. "Forget about that last place, OK? Mistake on our part. Enjoy your new house."

* * *

Abby giggled and did a little happy dance as she closed the door behind her. Tim, however, frowned.

"EEEEEEEEEEEE!" Abby squeaked. Suddenly she threw her arms around Tim, spinning him in a huge hug. "OUR OWN PLACE! Aren't you EXCITED, Timmy?!!!" Backing away, she noticed Tim squinching up his face and said, "Hey! How 'bout a little excitement, huh? Woody doesn't like it when the man of the house is looking at him all funny!"

"Woody?" Tim asked, confused.

"Our house, silly!" Abby said in a tone that suggested Tim should have already known this. "His name is Woody!"

"Oh... Woody," Tim said. He squinted, still feeling that something just wasn't right about his new place. "Abby, did you tell the movers to be extra careful with my computer equipment?"

"Extra EXTRA careful, Sir!" She gave Tim a little salute, smiled, kissed him on the cheek and clapped her hands together giddily before dashing off to unpack her kitchenware. "WHERE are my knick-knacky thingies?" she said to no one in particular. "OOOOH! OOOH! HERE they are! YAAAAAY! Timmy, come help me set up the four basic food groups!"

"In a minute, Abs," Tim mumbled. He thought he heard a noise coming from the master bedroom. Not wanting to worry Abby, he figured he'd check it out himself. Cautiously making his way down the hall, he tapped on the door. It creaked open and he looked into the room. Nothing inside but their unpacked boxes and Abby's vintage coffin. Satisfied that he'd just been having "new house jitters," Tim headed back down the hallway to help Abby sort out her knick-knacks.

Once Tim was gone, Tony and Ziva peeped out from beneath the coffin lid.

"And so we meet our NEW new neighbors," Ziva said.

"Yeah," Tony whispered. "Now we're DEFINITELY sellin' our house."


	93. Do You Want To Know A Secret

Title: Do You Want To Know A Secret  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva learns the baby's sex. Tony? Wants sex.

**-------------------- Do You Want To Know A Secret ---------------------**

"I hate going to the doctor's office," Tony mumbled, slouching in his chair, as he and Ziva sat in the small waiting room. "The TOO-quiet quiet... The sterile smell... The magazines from..." -- he picked up a copy of TIME, wrinkling his nose as he studied the cover -- "... 1979?" Tony casually flipped through the old periodical. "Hey, look, Ziva -- Skylab fell back down to earth. Once it wasn't in orbit anymore, could they really still call it 'SKYlab'?" Tony frowned, thinking it over. Ziva stared at him as if he'd lost his mind.

"Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo?" An attractive young nurse escorted Tony and Ziva back to one of the exam rooms. "If you'll just please undress and put on this gown, Mrs. DiNozzo, the doctor will be here in a few minutes to do the ultrasound." Ziva smiled primly and the young woman exited. Tony raised an eyebrow, studying his pregnant wife.

"You're so sexy," Tony teased. "Nobody's asking _me_ to get naked." He stuck his tongue out at Ziva, knowing she wasn't in the mood for jokes but testing her regardless.

"I will gladly allow YOU to take my place on the table, Tony," Ziva snapped, yanking some curtains closed as she removed her clothes. Tony did a little double-take as he tried to sneak a peek at Ziva in the nude. Catching just a glimpse of her bare shoulders before she turned, saw him, growled "Privacy PLEASE!" and yanked the curtains again, Tony suddenly found himself getting aroused. Normally he'd have found this somewhat exciting but because they were at the OB/GYN's office, he now felt embarrassed for wanting Ziva.

_Why now?_ he thought. _Why HERE?_ Immediately, Tony tried to think of anything but Ziva. Or sex. _Baseball... Almost dying with Plague... Ohio State losing the BCS title to Florida... Getting slapped in the back of the head by the Boss... That time when McFlea lost his Fido Flakes in the back of the Mustang... Sarah drawing a mustache on my face with the permanent ink marker... Accidentally seeing Probie drop trou in the men's gym locker room over at Quantico..._ Tony sighed with relief. He was feeling better already. _Oh yeah - that last one did the trick..._

Just then, the curtains whipped back and Ziva, now clad in an ill-fitting hospital gown, glared at Tony as she eyed the exam table. Lost in his thoughts, he simply gaped back at her.

"A little HELP, my love?" she barked, frustrated with her husband. Tony snapped to, assisting Ziva onto the table. She sighed, feeling awful for having been short with him. "I am sorry," Ziva said softly, taking Tony's hand in hers. She rubbed her round belly with the other. "I'm just tired, that is all. And I would like to get this ultrasound finished. Each time we are here, I worry that the doctor will find something wrong." Tony offered a sympathetic look.

"Nothing's wrong, Sweet Cheeks," he replied quietly, kissing Ziva's forehead as he placed his free hand over hers on her belly. "Our baby's just fine." Trying to cheer Ziva up, Tony patted her tummy, adding with a little grin, "Baby DiNozzo's got it good. I'm sure it's all nice and warm in there. Not like here. I'm freezin'. You OK, honey?" Removing his jacket, he draped it around Ziva's shoulders. She smiled at him and said she was alright. The two were sharing a personal moment, with Tony lovingly stroking Ziva's cheek, when the doctor entered.

"OK, you two young lovers," Dr. Handler, a grey-haired man around 60, joked. "It's precisely THAT sort of behavior that brought us all here in the first place." Tony quickly pulled his hand away, blushing with embarrassment, and Ziva laughed. "Now then, Ziva," Dr. Handler said as his young nurse re-entered with the ultrasound equipment, "First, allow me to tell you that you look absolutely radiant as always. And Anthony, I wish all of my expectant fathers were as caring and considerate as you." The doctor winked at his patients. "And now, what say we check in on the baby, hm?"

* * *

"DON'T tell me!" Tony said, entering the bedroom in only a towel after his shower. "I wanna be surprised."

"I have not said anything," Ziva replied, looking up from the book she was reading as she lay in bed. Her brown eyes roamed Tony's body as he let the towel fall to the floor.

"Just because YOU know doesn't mean I wanna know. That's all I'm saying." Tony, completely naked, rummaged through his underwear drawer for a clean pair of boxers. Finding a pair he'd bought during the honeymoon trip to Mexico, patterned with little sombreros, he sniffed them and, finding that they were freshly laundered, smiled as he stepped into them and pulled them on. From her spot in the bed, Ziva frowned; she'd been enjoying the view.

"Dr. Handler said we are having a boy," Ziva stated simply. Tony whirled around, his face contorted in agony. This was exactly what he'd said he DIDN'T want to know. He raised his hands to the sky, then buried his face in his palms before Ziva continued, "... or a girl." Peeping out from behind his fingers, Tony narrowed his green eyes at his wife. She smirked back at him, licking her teeth with her tongue. Tony approached the bed, staring Ziva down. She met his gaze firmly and steadily.

"Now _how_..." Tony said huskily as he crawled into the bed, fitting his body gently against Ziva's, "... am I gonna _keep_ you from tellin' me if we're having a boy or a girl for the next couple of months?" He fingered her thin nightshirt, caressing the fabric with his thumb. "You've never been one to spill secrets before. But now?" Tony's lips brushed Ziva's playfully. She felt his breath warm on her skin. "Guess I'm gonna have to keep that mouth of yours... busy." Their lips met in a tender kiss that quickly turned passionate. Within minutes, Tony's boxers lay strewn on the floor by the bed with Ziva's shirt hanging perilously from the bedside lamp.

"Remember, Tony," Ziva gasped, pulling her lips from Tony's as he moved to taste the skin of her neck, one of his hands caressing her belly, "this is the reason why... you now feel you cannot trust me to... keep quiet." She clutched at him, finding his mouth with hers. Tony groaned with pleasure. This was what he had wanted all day. Since learning Ziva was pregnant, he'd only found her that much sexier. "And I want you to..." Ziva teased breathlessly, a smirk playing at her lips, "... put your _trust_ in me." Tony, overcome with passion, could barely breathe let alone speak. Ziva pulled his hips against hers. A little moan escaped Tony's throat as they began to make love.

When he awoke in the early hours of the morning long before dawn, Tony turned to watch Ziva sleeping by his side. Occasionally, he noticed her frown, looking slightly uncomfortable. _Baby's at it again,_ Tony thought, grinning. _He's gonna be one helluva football kicker someday._

_Or SHE is._


	94. Anything Like Me

Title: Anything Like Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: McFlea is one sad puppy. Another case for Tony.

**-------------------- Anything Like Me ---------------------**

"Baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby..." Sarah cooed, gently patting her mother's round belly as Ziva lay on the sofa, resting. From where he lay on the floor, McFlea watched the scene, his brown eyes darting from Sarah to Ziva and back to Sarah. With a little sigh, he finally stared off into the distance at nothing in particular.

"That's right, Snugglepumpkin," Tony said with a smile, entering the living room from the kitchen. He carried a huge bowl of popcorn. "Baby Time's comin' soon!" Tony's grin faded into a frown. "McMutt!" he barked at the family dog, who lay in front of Tony's recliner, "McMove it!" McFlea lifted his black head, looking up at Tony plaintively. Tony snarled down at him. "What? Can't you McHear anymore? AM-SCRAY!" Slowly, McFlea got up and padded out of the room. Tony hopped into his big chair and sighed with pleasure, putting a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Ziva stared at him from her perch on the sofa.

"Was that necessary?" she asked pointedly. Tony, his mouth full of snacks, raised an eyebrow in reply. "Why were you so mean to McFlea?" Tony's green eyes widened; he looked from side to side, then chewed his popcorn and swallowed.

"Mean?" he said, smacking his lips. "He was just layin' there, ignoring me. Hasn't been listening to a word I say these days. Just lies around the house looking pitiful." Furrowing his brow in thought, Tony asked, "Do dogs get SAD?"

"Of course they do," Ziva replied, "Dogs get sad just as anyone will. They are sentient creatures. They have feelings, too, Tony."

"No, not sad," Tony said, "SAD!" Seeing that Ziva was staring at him as if he were crazy, he went on. "SAD. SAD!!! Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD. S-A-D? That kind of SAD, not 'sad' sad." Frowning, he said, "You think I don't know dogs get sad? I know dogs get sad. 'Sad' sad. Not SAD sad, though. That's why I asked." Ziva, still confused, rolled her eyes and went back to snuggling with Sarah.

"Well, whatever sort of 'sad' McFlea is feeling, you did not help with your display of temper," Ziva said in a firm but fair tone. "Go. Apologize. Now." She closed her eyes and, with a little wave, motioned for Tony to exit the room. Tony scowled, but got up from his easy chair.

"Fine," Tony muttered, setting the bowl of popcorn down on the table by the recliner, "I'll go have a heart-to-heart with my McSon." As he trudged from the living room, Tony mimicked the conversation:

_"What's wrong, McFlea? Tell Daddy."_

_"Arf."_

_"No, really, son -- get in touch with your feelings."_

_"Arf."_

_"There. Isn't that MUCH better?"_

_"Arf, arf."_

Ziva shot Tony a dirty look as he glanced back her way one last time before heading down the hallway.

Finding McFlea in Sarah's room, Tony made sure that neither Ziva nor Sarah was watching from some secret place before he lay down on the floor so he could talk to McFlea on a dog's-eye level. McFlea lay in his dog bed with Silly Monkey under his paws. With his black snoot, he forlornly snuffed at his "baby." Now Tony actually did feel bad about having snapped at his beloved dog earlier. Odd as it was, McFlea was like a son to him and he couldn't imagine life without his little buddy.

Tony rested his chin on his forearms and considered everything that had been going on with McFlea lately. Thanks to a growth spurt, his little buddy had now turned into a lanky, athletic, muscular youngster. Female dogs in the neighborhood were taking notice of McFlea whenever Tony walked him and the handsome black lab/terrier mix was playfully chased around the dog park by any girl dog within striking distance.

"McFlea's a chick magnet," Tony had bragged to Ziva a month or so before. She reminded him that their dog was in love with Abby's cat. "Oh yeah..." Tony sighed. "He's gotta work around that when it comes time to breed him someday."

"Breed him?" Ziva had replied, surprised at the idea.

"_Yes_, breed him! This is U.S. prime Grade-A McHound on the hoof we've got and any female dog worth her Alpo should be proud to bring his hairy black offspring into the world," Tony sniffed, mildly offended that Ziva hadn't considered McFlea breeding material. "Besides," Tony had continued, scratching McFlea's head, "he's a DiNozzo Man and we're naturally irresistible to the women. So why shouldn't he have a little fun in the process? Heh... _Right_, boy?" McFlea yawned, letting out a little yap. Tony raised an eyebrow, thinking of the possibilities. "Wonder what we can charge for a stud fee? Because _ohhhhh_... heh heh heh... He IS a stud, alright."

Ziva looked at Tony like he'd finally lost his mind.

"A stud fee. For McFlea. You want other people to pay us for the... _presumed_ privilege... of letting McFlea...," she looked somewhat pitifully down at their pet, "...do it doggy style with their females?"

"Ha HAH!" Tony grinned, showing his teeth. "Doggy style..."

Now, remembering that conversation as he watched McFlea poke at Silly Monkey with his boxy black nose, Tony wondered if Ziva was right. Maybe McFlea wasn't breeding material. _A dog that loves a cat?_ Tony thought. _He probably wouldn't know what to do with a girl dog if he ever had one._ _No puppies for Team DiNozzo._ Tony was depressed now, too. He liked the idea of McFlea being a father.

"Tony?" Ziva said softly from the bedroom doorway. Tony turned, looking up at her. He'd been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't realized she was there. "Mr. and Mrs. Lambert from down the street are in the living room. They have... a little _matter_ to discuss with us." She nodded towards McFlea. "Involving a certain _someone_." Tony squinted, confused. Getting up from his awkward position on the floor, he sighed and followed Ziva into the den. Once there, his eyes grew wide as saucers when he saw Sarah patting a noticeably pregnant dog on the head. The pretty white dog was sprinkled with tiny black spots. The Lamberts looked none too happy.

"Sarah," Ziva urged gently, "why don't you take..."

"Freckles!" Mrs. Lambert said in a shrill voice.

"... Freckles into the kitchen and pet her there?" Sarah toddled off with Freckles waddling after her.

"Congratulations on the... uh... future arrivals," Tony stammered, smiling nervously. "We're expecting, too." He rubbed Ziva's belly. She gave him a look that said "Shut up." He stopped talking.

"Your FLEABAG got OUR Freckles PREGNANT!" Mr. Lambert said angrily. Tony looked chagrined at first, then angry. He didn't like McFlea being outright accused of something so... possible.

"PROVE IT!" Tony shot back.

Mrs. Lambert whipped out her digital camera and showed Tony and Ziva a photo. Both looked shocked and disgusted.

"My GOD!" Ziva said, aghast. "Where did he LEARN that?"

"Dunno," Tony answered, horrified. "But that move needs to stay squarely in the animal kingdom. Could humans even DO anything so... uh... Never mind." He made a "yuck" face and, looking sheepish for having yelled, told the Lamberts, "We'll take care of all the bills and, um, other stuff."

"And we are so, SO sorry," Ziva added. The Lamberts curtly whistled for Freckles, who waddled back into the living room and trotted out the front door, following her owners.

"Why, that little..." Tony began just as Sarah scampered back into the room.

"Little pitchers," Ziva said, jerking her head towards Sarah. Tony grunted, frowning.

"McFlea's not depressed because he'll never be a father," Tony snarled under his breath to Ziva, "he's depressed because he's GONNA be a father!" Then, snorting as he watched the Lamberts head down the street, Tony said "_Freckles..._" in a chiding tone.

"And when his girlfriend finds out?" Ziva asked, sighing.

"No cry, Daddy," Sarah said sweetly, patting Tony's head as he curled up on the floor in the fetal position, little sobs escaping his throat from time to time. "No cry."


	95. Nobody Knows Me At All

Title: Nobody Knows Me At All  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: There's a side to Tony he keeps hidden.

**-------------------- Nobody Knows Me At All ---------------------**

Out in the garage, as he hovered over the engine of his beloved Mustang, Tony considered all the recent changes in his life. Marriage, a baby daughter and a new baby on the way -- it was a lot to deal with for one man. And although he was happy with all the new responsibilities, Tony sometimes felt a little overwhelmed.

_Sarah's about to turn one,_ Tony thought to himself, _and the baby's coming in just a couple of months. That's gonna be two babies to feed, two babies to get to daycare, two babies to take to the doctor when they get sick, two babies to tell "NO" when they get into things they shouldn't, two babies to diaper, two babies to put to bed at night, two babies to worry about every hour of every day... How are Ziva and I gonna DO it?_ And then he thought of McFlea having fathered puppies he and Ziva were now charged with getting rid of. Tony felt sick to his stomach.

Closing the hood, Tony sank down next to his car and stared blankly at his toolbox. Suddenly everything seemed frightening and Tony felt incredibly small and powerless.

"You worried? About the new baby?" Abby slid down next to Tony. Now they both stared at the toolbox. Abby pulled her knees up towards her and sighed.

"Worried about all the babies," Tony said quietly. "Sarah, the one on the way and McFlea's litter." He put his head on Abby's slim shoulder. "How am I gonna take care of 'em all, Abs?" Tony was now really afraid. He felt like he couldn't handle the burden. Abby looked sad, let out a sympathetic sigh and scrunched up her face, trying to sort it all out logically.

"Okay... Sarah's pretty self-reliant," she said. "So that's one baby you don't have to... freak out about so much. And Timmy and I? We'll help you with the puppies. I mean, he doesn't KNOW that yet but... we will." Abby looked confident. "That leaves you with one little newborn to wig over, Tony. And that's plenty."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Tony said, feeling a little better. "Thanks, Abs. You're the best." He leaned over and kissed his friend on her forehead. Abby smiled.

"Ziva's gonna help, too," Abby reminded Tony. "She's the one having the baby so, really, _she's_ the best."

"Absolutely," Tony said, putting his head back on Abby's shoulder. "I'm a lucky guy."

"Totally," Abby replied. "And don't you forget it, Mister."

"I won't," Tony promised, the first hint of a smile playing at his lips.

"Pinky promise?" Abby asked, holding out her pinky for Tony to take.

"Pinky promise," Tony swore, crooking his little finger in hers. It would be their little secret.


	96. Take It From Me

Title: Take It From Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva knows Tony loves her but it's still nice to hear.  
**  
-------------------- Take It From Me ---------------------**

"Ziva, I love you," Tony said quietly as they lay in bed, both relaxing after a long day by reading. He reached over, tenderly taking her hand in his. Bringing it to his lips, Tony planted a soft kiss on Ziva's knuckles. She blushed, beside herself with emotion at the sweet display from Tony. His green eyes remained fixed on the page he'd been reading.

"I love you, too, Tony," Ziva replied, squeezing his hand. Then, smiling primly, she continued, "And to what do I owe this generous show of your affection?" Tony stroked Ziva's palm with his thumb. Now he looked over at her, his eyes studying Ziva's face.

"Nothing. I just _love_ you," Tony repeated, his voice soft and wistful. "Can't even imagine what my life would be like without you in it." He paused, suddenly looking a bit melancholy. "Sometimes I think about it, y'know. Just depresses me. I remember how it was, dating all the time and trying to score with all those women." Ziva knitted her brow, frowning. "Don't gimme that _look_," Tony said, returning Ziva's little scowl. "You know no woman I ever dated compares to you at all, Sweet Cheeks. In ANY way." Ziva now offered Tony a little Cheshire Cat smile, pleased with the obvious compliment. "_Tease_," Tony playfully scolded, winking. Ziva snickered.

"I am NOT sorry," Ziva said with a smug look. "For all those _women_." She closed her book, placing it on the nightstand next to her side of the bed.

"And neither..." Tony answered huskily, a mischevious grin playing at his lips as he slapped his own book shut, tossing it over his shoulder and onto the floor by the bed before he made his way to Ziva's side of the bed, "... am I."


	97. Something New

Title: Something New  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: There's a blizzard in D.C. and, oh yeah, a new baby at Camp DiNozzo.

**-------------------- Something New ---------------------**

"Look at McFlea, Tony," Ziva said, studying the family dog. "He has been sitting by the front door all day long and has not moved. Not one inch. Not even to eat."

Tony frowned, staring at McFlea. The handsome black lab/terrier mix lay staring forlornly at the door, his brown eyes fixed on the knob as if waiting for it to turn. At any little sound or movement inside the house, McFlea went on full alert; his ears pricked up and he lifted his head. When nothing happened, he whined pitifully and lay back down, sighing.

"He knows something," Tony said, raising an eyebrow. "That dog's never in one place for that long. And he _never_ misses a meal -- his or anyone else's." Narrowing his green eyes in McFlea's direction, Tony called out, "McMUTT! Front and center!" Snapping his fingers and whistling, Tony waited for McFlea to come. But McFlea ignored Tony, his pricked-up ears the only indication he'd even heard Tony's command.

"See how he ignores you?" Ziva teased, a wry little smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. "Perhaps he is not acting out of sorts after all." Tony snarled at her and she grinned, running her tongue along her teeth as she snickered.

Just then, a loud pounding at the front door made everyone jump. McFlea leapt to his feet, ears standing straight up, and barked.

"DOWN, McHellHound!" Tony snarked, trying to push McFlea away from the door. McFlea was desperate to get outside. "BACK! BACK, I say!" When McFlea again ignored him, Tony yelled, "ZEEEEE-VAH!"

"MacFLEA!" Ziva shouted. "SIT!" McFlea whined but immediately obeyed her. Ziva primly smiled at Tony, who again snarled back at her over his shoulder.

Opening the door, Tony came face to face with a fuming Mr. Lambert, the owner of Freckles, the female dog that was carrying McFlea's puppies. Mr. Lambert, bundled up against the whipping wind and blowing snow from the blizzard that was just hitting Washington D.C., gave Tony a dirty look and deposited a tiny black bundle of fuzz in his hands.

"I believe THIS belongs to YOU now!" he snapped, looking down hatefully at McFlea. "Freckles had the puppies a while back and I figured it was high time YOU got YOURS. It's the only boy and the only one who -- thank GOD -- looks like... HIM. The rest are girls and look like our _Freckles_ so we've made arrangements to give them to family and friends. You'll not have to worry about the puppies -- except THIS furball!" Wrinkling his nose as he glared down at the tiny ball of fuzz Tony held and McFlea once more, Mr. Lambert added, "And you KEEP that... HOUND away from FRECKLES!" Then he stomped off Tony's porch and out into the night. Tony, stunned by what had just happened, cuddled the fuzzball in his palm and closed the front door. McFlea trembled with joy. _They have family and friends?_ Tony thought to himself as he thought of what Mr. Lambert had just said. _Family and friends must've really lowered their standards._

"Look, honey!" Tony joked, smiling weakly at Ziva, "It's a... boy." He held out the tiny black fuzzball for her to see. McFlea, still patiently sitting, whined pitifully and yapped. "Aw, c'mon, Ziva, let him go," Tony pleaded. Ziva winked at him and smiled.

"MacFlea!" Ziva called. McFlea jumped up, pawing at Tony as he tried to see his baby son. He began barking hysterically and leaping around in circles.

"OK! OK!" Tony said, holding the little fuzzy puppy up for its own safety. "Calm DOWN! He's all yours! Just... CALM DOWN, willya?" Kneeling, Tony laid the tiny black ball of fur down on a blanket that Ziva had thoughtfully lain on the floor by the fireplace. McFlea quickly lay down beside his little son, sniffing him from head to toe as he licked the baby to clean him. The puppy squirmed, its little eyes still closed. Beside himself with joy, McFlea panted uncontrollably and whimpered.

"The puppy is underweight," Ziva noted, looking concerned. "He doesn't look as if he's been getting enough of his mother's milk. Tony -- give me the phone." Tony started to ask why but thought better of it and just handed Ziva her cellphone. "Also, the phonebook, please."

Now Tony was curious. Who was she calling? Abby? Ducky? Their vet? There were blizzard conditions outside. Who could help?

As it turned out, Ziva called the Lamberts to ask why the puppy looked so unhealthy. After a short, rather heated conversation which Ziva ended with "Oh ho HO! Do NOT worry -- the PLEASURE of NOT speaking to YOU again will be ALL MINE!," she slammed her phone shut, tossed it to Tony and let out a furious little "GRRRRR!"

"I'd ask what's wrong, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said, trying to lighten the mood, "but I'm afraid you'd tell me. Actually," he gulped, "I'm just afraid."

"Those... IDIOTS... allowed their precious FRECKLES to nurse all the puppies," Ziva replied angrily. "But when they SAW that she would NOT nurse THIS puppy, they simply tried to give it WATER and as a result the baby has had NO milk!" She sighed, stroking the little fuzzball tenderly. "He has been starving, Tony. And now he is most likely sick."

"Well, lemme go get some milk -- we've got gallons!" Tony moved to get up but Ziva stopped him.

"It's not the same," she explained. "Nursing would be best." Now Tony sighed, looking pitifully at McFlea and his little son.

"McFlea doesn't have the right equipment for that," he said, petting the puppy. Tony could feel his tiny ribs as he labored to breathe. McFlea sniffed at the baby again, sensing something was wrong. "What are we gonna do? What's HE gonna do?"

"I suppose we can try at least some of our milk tonight," Ziva sighed. "And do our best to get him to the vet tomorrow. If the vet is open."

With McFlea sniffing all the while and licking his son's black fur, Tony and Ziva took one of Sarah's old baby bottles and fed the little puppy, who tried desperately to drink all he could. Then, when the puppy yawned, they left him with his father and went to bed.

The next morning, Tony and Ziva awoke to hear Sarah giggling out in the living room. It was obvious she'd discovered the family's newest member but they worried about her bonding with a puppy that might not make it. And so the pair quickly made their way to check on their toddler, McFlea and the new puppy.

"Are... you seeing what I'm seeing?" Tony asked Ziva as they stood in the living room doorway, watching the little scene by the fireplace.

"I am," Ziva said slowly. "But I am not quite believing it." She shook her head, making certain she was awake.

"Well, she did it for those baby squirrels, remember?" Tony whispered.

While Sarah giggled happily, KittyKate nursed the tiny black puppy as McFlea looked on.

"Do you think he will bark or meow?" Ziva teased.

"Neither," Tony answered. "He'll probably speak better English than you OR me when he grows up."


	98. Baby's In Black

Title: Baby's In Black  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo names Baby McFlea.

**-------------------- Baby's In Black ---------------------**

"My little girl's all grown up," Abby sobbed, dabbing her eyes with a vintage black lace-trimmed handkerchief. "She's a _mommy_ now. I'm so proud!" Suddenly, she grabbed McGee, wrapping her arms around him in a smothering hug. "We're BOTH proud, aren't we, Timmy?" Abby asked, hugging Tim even tighter. He struggled for air.

"Proud..." Tim gasped, unable to breathe, "REALLY... proud..." He coughed, choking. "Can't... BREATHE... Abby... Need... AIR!" Despite his pleas, Abby only gripped him that much more tightly, beside herself with happiness.

"Better let Tiny Tim up for some air, Abs," Tony snarked, "before we have to set up an oxygen tent for the proud new McPappy." Snickering as he watched Tim flail in Abby's embrace, Tony took another sip of his coffee. Ziva gave her husband a withering look.

"Stop it, Tony," she said, pursing her lips. "Abby, I think McGee is turning... purple. That cannot be healthy. Perhaps he could use a break?" Ziva smiled helpfully, hoping Abby was listening. Obviously, she was; she released Tim from her grasp and he wheezed and coughed as air finally reached his lungs.

"Sorry, Timmy," Abby said, pushing out her lower lip sadly. "I'm just so HAPPY!" McGee grinned, gave Abby a thumbs-up and went back to gulping down air. "You GUYS... look at them -- they're such a cute little family already."

Tony sipped his coffee, frowning thoughtfully as he considered the sight of McFlea poking around at his little son with his big boxy snoot while KittyKate, who'd adopted the puppy as her own, "bathed" her new baby, licking his fuzzy black fur. She'd already become a stickler for keeping the puppy spotlessly clean. He squirmed as his parents fussed over him, kicking out a tiny hind leg as he issued a high-pitched little yowl. Now he'd started opening his eyes, which were big and brown like McFlea's, and he looked from his father to his mother as they poked and prodded and licked at him. Tony couldn't help but smile.

"Maybe we oughta rescue _him_ -- from THEM," Tony joked. "Little guy can't get a moment's peace, they're all over him so much. He's worn out from all the love and I need a nap just watching this." Then he yawned, driving his point home, and settled back into his recliner, closing his eyes. Sarah, who'd been playing Zoo on the floor next to where the new puppy's bed had been set up, crawled up into the chair and, finding a comfortable place on her daddy's lap, snuggled against Tony's chest as she, too, yawned and settled in for a quick nap. Tony pulled her to him and they dozed off.

"Amazing," Ziva teased, grinning at Tony and Sarah, "I am the one who is having the baby but HE is the one who is tired all the time."

"So have you guys thought about a name for the LITTLE guy?" Abby asked Ziva, elbowing Tim, who was finally breathing normally again. He made a little "OOF" sound, grimaced and then smiled, somewhat painfully, at Ziva. "'Cause, um, if you need ideas? Timmy and I have some. Lots. _Buckoos._ Whatever a... buckoo... actually is. If it... actually is... anything." Abby scrunched up her face, thinking about buckoos. "Has anyone ever seen a buckoo?"

"We've been thinking about baby names," Tim explained. "For YOU and TONY," he hastily added. "Not for us. _Definitely_... not for... us." Embarrassed, McGee blushed. Abby, completely oblivious, continued mulling over the idea of buckoos.

"Tony and I have some names in mind," Ziva said. "But we have not decided on anything yet." She frowned just then, something Abby had said just hitting her. "The little guy?" Ziva asked. "I have not told anyone what the baby's sex is because Tony does not want to know. Why do you think we are having a boy?"

"Oh... OH! OH! OOOH! NO!" Abby, out of her buckoo reverie, rushed to explain. "I was talking about THAT little guy," she said, pointing to the puppy. Then, eyeing Ziva suspiciously, Abby asked, "What'd you THINK I meant?" She raised an eyebrow at Ziva, grinning wickedly. Ziva met her grin with a Mona Lisa smile of her own.

"I did not think you meant... _anything_, Abby," Ziva said, smirking. Her grin betrayed nothing and Abby smiled broadly in response. Tim shook his head at their little mental chess match and excused himself to get some coffee. Changing the subject, Ziva asked, "What 'baby names' were you and McGee thinking of? For THAT little guy?" Ziva nodded at the puppy, who now squirmed and yapped as he tried to escape from McFlea's ever-probing snoot and KittyKate's constant cleansing. Ziva and Abby both giggled at the sight.

"Well," Abby began slowly, "you know how KittyKate didn't have a name until I named her when I took her in after Kate died? See, Kate only sort of named her. She kind of kidded around that calling her 'Kitty' made it really easy to call her? Like, 'Here Kitty Kitty'?" Abby's lips curled in a melancholy smile, remembering her late friend. "So I added 'Kate' because... I just missed my friend. And she was so good to KittyKate when she had her, even though she didn't have her for long." Ziva smiled tenderly.

Abby continued:

"Anyway, Timmy and I were talking the other day about how happy Jenny would be to see you and Tony married and being such good parents to Sarah and having a baby on the way... sooooo... we thought maybe it would be pretty cool to name something after her, too. And since Sarah's got Jenny Giraffe and, well, McFlea's puppy that lives with him is a boy..." Abby paused. "We sort of came up with the name Shep -- like in Shepard. I mean, WE liked it but if you and Tony don't think..."

"It's adorable, Abby," Ziva said, her eyes brimming with tears. "I love it." Sniffling as she wiped away tears remembering Jenny, Ziva laughed, "Also it keeps Tony from naming the poor thing something like -- what was it he kept saying the other night? the name he SHOULD have given McFlea? -- Cujo?" Abby did a double-take and shivered. "I suppose I do not get the joke but _Tony_ found it quite funny. So funny that he would _not_ stop bringing it up in _every_ conversation we had." Ziva smirked, addressing Abby. "Ah, the joy of marriage. To love, honor and cherish -- and not snap the neck of -- your soulmate."

"Heard that," Tony muttered from his easy chair, frowning. "Heard name, too. Shep. Like it." He snorted, eyes still closed, frowning. "Still think Cujo woulda worked." Then he yawned and went back to dozing. In her sleep, Sarah quietly repeated, "Shep Shep..."

Abby and Ziva rolled their eyes at Tony's half-conscious utterings and watched Shep wriggle around as McFlea pushed him onto his back so KittyKate could paw at his tiny chest. After a full inspection, she mewled and McFlea pushed Shep back onto his tummy. Shep whined and sighed; he was tired of being the object of his parents' affection after a half-day of having been loved nearly to death.

"McFlea... Kate... enough," Ziva said, not unkindly, to the pets. They stopped sniffing and licking at Shep, snuggling around him to keep him warm, and soon were both asleep themselves, worn out from wearing their baby out. Shep smacked his little jaws happily and settled down, finally able to get a nap.

"And now," Abby purred, eyeballing Ziva's round little belly, "let's get started on baby names for YOU." Grinning, she raised an eyebrow at Ziva, who responded by rolling her eyes.

"It is a deal. But promise me, Abby, that _Cujo_ will not be one of them," Ziva said, cutting her brown eyes towards her sleeping husband.


	99. Happy Birthday Baby

Title: Happy Birthday Baby  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Somebody's ONE! (A birthday present for macadoodle3)

**-------------------- Happy Birthday Baby ---------------------**

When Sarah finished blowing out the giant candle shaped like the number one on her birthday cake, the NCIS family clapped and blew their party horns. Sarah clapped, squeaking with glee. She wasn't quite sure what she'd done that made everyone so happy but she'd done it right and that thrilled her.

McFlea barked and howled. KittyKate, normally reserved even at parties, let out a prim little meow. Little Shep, still getting used to the crazy goings-on at Camp DiNozzo, sniffed the air and pricked up his little ears. Like his father, he already had a nose for anything edible and the scent of the birthday cake set his tiny mouth watering.

"Who's Daddy's BIG girl?" Tony, wearing a red pointy party hat, leaned down to give Sarah a sweet birthday kiss on her cheek. She blushed, giggling.

"Were it not Sarah's birthday," Ziva joked, glancing down at her round belly, "I would say it is me." Everyone laughed.

Even Gibbs wore one of silly hats for this day, having been given a special camo birthday party hat created just for him by Abby. Director Vance had protested that there was NO way he was wearing a hat -- until Mrs. Vance crossed her arms and gave him That Look. His kids pointed and laughed as their dad frowned and plunked it on his head. Gibbs just snickered into his plastic punch cup as Vance narrowed his eyes threateningly at him.

McGee and Jimmy were on ice cream duty -- Tim scooping up vanilla and Palmer dishing out chocolate -- and Ducky's job? To keep the corgis from feeling too jealous that _their_ Sarah now had to be shared with the McFlea family.

There were lots of gifts -- new animals for the ever-growing Zoo, mostly -- and the DiNozzos' old neighbors, the Brannons, even sent a special little package all the way from their new farm in Michigan. Now a hand-sewn cow joined the Zoo thanks to Janet Brannon's newly-acquired skills.

"It... _sorta_ looks like a cow... right?" Abby said, pooching out her lower lip at the cow toy.

"I believe it is the... thought that counts," Ziva replied, finding a smile for the cow.

"She just needs... um... better stitching. Ducky?" Abby handed Dr. Mallard the toy and he pulled down his glasses to observe it.

"Yes, well, nothing these old hands can't repair," he said confidently. "Mr. Palmer! Prepare yourself for surgery -- tomorrow!" Jimmy gulped, then smiled.

Meanwhile, Tony cut Sarah a big hunk of birthday cake. Before digging in, she dabbed a spot of icing on his nose. He made a pretend "mad" face at her and she giggled.

"Watch it, Snugglepumpkin," Tony teased, "or you may not make it to TWO."


	100. I'm A Boy

Title: I'm A Boy  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo gains a new member.

**-------------------- I'm A Boy ---------------------**

"The kid's got a set of lungs," Tony said, watching the NICU nurse place his newborn back into the incubator. Through the plate glass viewing window, Tony could see his tiny baby screaming in the nurse's tender grasp but couldn't hear the infant's cries.

"Fighter," Gibbs remarked, sipping his coffee. "Scrappy. Tough. Like his dad."

"Thanks, Boss," Tony said softly. Sighing as he rubbed at the two-day stubble on his chin, Tony wondered if his little son could possibly be as tough as Gibbs said. He'd arrived early -- six weeks too soon -- and the lungs Tony spoke of were slightly underdeveloped. Tony and Ziva's boy needed the incubator to stay warm because he was so small, weighing in at slightly under five pounds, and he was getting help breathing. But once the nurse put him back into the cozy incubator, the baby settled down and went right to sleep. Tony watched the monitor beside the incubator register his son's respiratory stats. All good for the moment.

A sign was taped to the side of the incubator facing the NICU viewing window. A cartoon stork bearing a big blue bundle was in full flight on the placard and the words "I'm a BOY" greeted anyone who happened by.

Tony and Ziva had picked out baby names but hadn't decided on anything. Now that their son was born in distress they figured that maybe they should wait a while longer before naming him. Everything, at this point, seemed up in the air.

* * *

"I want to see him," Ziva insisted, trying to get out of her hospital bed. "I feel fine. Tony, bring me a wheelchair. Take me to see him."

"Honey, Dr. Handler says you need bed rest right now. The Boss and I just looked in on him. He's doin' fine. I promise." Tony sat on the side of Ziva's bed, mainly to guard against her charging out of it. He kissed her forehead in an attempt to calm her. But she wasn't really having any of his ministrations at the moment.

"Tony," Ziva said in a too-quiet tone, "get the wheelchair NOW."

Sighing, Tony rang for the nurse. She entered, grinning, and asked what she could do for Ziva.

"She wants to get up -- wants a wheelchair -- so I can take her to NICU to see our baby," Tony explained. "I know the doctor wants her to stay here but can she just go over there for a minute or two? Please?"

The nurse thought it over and told Ziva that she'd have to call the doctor. If he agreed, she'd immediately get the wheelchair. Tony worried that Ziva would try to overpower him and get to the baby no matter what. But Ziva simply lay back against her pillow, issued a frustrated little "GRRR!" and awaited the doctor's answer. Tony found himself impressed with her patience. After about 20 minutes, the nurse returned with the wheelchair. Tony carefully assisted an overjoyed Ziva into the chair and wheeled her to the NICU viewing area.

Tony and Ziva watched over their baby boy as he kicked out his little leg while dozing in his incubator. Although hooked up to a number of tubes and monitors, he looked warm and completely at peace.

"Anthony," Ziva said quietly.

"Yes?" Tony replied.

"I want to name him Anthony. After you. I know that you did not want an -- how did you say it? -- Anthony Junior Junior -- but, Tony, I do. I want our son to have your name." Ziva looked up at Tony from the wheelchair, taking his hand in hers. "I love your name."

"Okay," Tony said, squeezing Ziva's hand. "He can be Anthony Junior Junior," he teased. Ziva smiled and it pleased Tony.

"But I remember what you wanted to name him," Ziva said, stroking Tony's hand with her thumb.

"James," Tony answered softly. Ziva chuckled.

"Yes," she said, watching their son pound his tiny fist down into the mattress before opening his mouth wide to let out a huge yawn. "James. Like the spy." Ziva shook her head and laughed. The baby smacked his lips, just as Tony did when sleeping, and dozed off again. "I like that name, too."

"Really?" Tony said, surprised. When he'd suggested "James," Ziva had said it sounded lovely. When he'd gone a step too far and added "Yeah, you know, like "Bond. James Bond," she'd gone cold at the sound of it from that point on.

"Anthony James?" Ziva asked Tony, continuing to caress his hand. "Tony, would that be..."

"That's..." Tony's voice broke. "I love it, Ziva." He rubbed her shoulders and they admired their sleeping baby boy. "Anthony James," Tony said, loving the sound of the words. "Can we give him a nickname, though? Something that ISN'T Junior... Junior? 'Cause Anthony James is a mouthful."

"Anything you wish," Ziva said. "As long as it isn't Cujo."

* * *

"And that little baby right there, Sarah," Tony said tenderly, nuzzling his baby daughter's temple as she craned her neck to see the new baby, "is your little brother. See that little boy?" Sarah nodded, thrilled that her baby brother was finally someplace where she could lay eyes on him. "His name's Jack. You like that name? Jack?"

"Jack!" Sarah squeaked with delight. "Jack Jack!" Clapping her little hands with glee, she giggled and said "Hi Jack Jack!"

"Well, right now Jack's gotta stay in his box but the doctor says he's getting good and strong and we can take him home soon." Tony and Sarah shared a huge father-daughter smile. "Mommy and Daddy are gonna need our Snugglepumpkin to help us out with Baby Jack. Think you can do that?"

"YES!" Sarah said in all seriousness. She looked back towards Baby Jack, wishing she could hug and kiss him. "Hi Jack Jack... Hi..." Sarah snuggled against Tony as they started to leave. "Bye Jack Jack... Bye bye Jack Jack!" She waved at her baby brother, blowing him tiny kisses through the plate glass window. He kicked and yawned, punching at the mattress again with his little fist. Tony grinned and gave Sarah a big kiss on the cheek, proud of his little girl and what a good big sister she already was.

"Now let's go see Mommy," Tony said, cuddling Sarah in his arms as they headed for the elevator. "Because she's been asking me all DAY about how her BIG baby's doing." Sarah whispered in Tony's ear and he frowned at her, saying, "NO, she means YOU, silly! Mommy's _not_ talking about Daddy."


	101. Little Things

Title: Little Things  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony gets to know his son Jack.  
**  
-------------------- Little Things ---------------------**

Now that Baby Jack was strong enough to be out of his incubator for long periods of time, Tony made regular trips to the NICU in order to hold him and spend what the nurses called "quality rocking time" with his newborn son. Tony had to wear a surgical gown, gloves and mask when holding Jack, whose tiny lungs were still developing, but it was a small price to pay in order to be with his boy.

Jack clearly enjoyed being rocked by his father. Whenever the nurses removed him from his incubator, Baby Jack hollered and kicked up a fuss. He didn't like all the strange hands plucking him from his warm, cozy confines in order to expose him to the cool air of the nursery. But as soon as they wrapped him in a blanket, placed a tiny knit cap on his fuzzy head and handed him to Tony, who cradled him in his strong arms, Jack settled down immediately and snuggled against Tony's chest. He seemed to just know that he was with his father and he was as safe and nested away as if he were in the little warm box he'd grown to love.

Through the surgical mask, Tony planted a tender kiss on the top of Baby Jack's head and the tiny boy squirmed, kicking with joy. Jack squeaked out a contented little "Gah" and smacked his lips, sighing happily. Tony couldn't get over how small Jack was; he could hold him, almost literally, in the palm of one hand. But as Gibbs had told him soon after Jack was born, his baby boy was a tough little fighter and the doctors were amazed at how quickly he'd improved given that he was six weeks premature. Baby Jack was growing and getting healthier by leaps and bounds. And Tony was beside himself, thankful that his son was apparently going to be a strong, healthy little boy.

Jack's nurse on this NICU visit was young and exceptionally attractive, Tony noticed. She was exactly the kind of girl he'd have pursued back in the days when he was single, long before he met Ziva and definitely before he'd matured enough to realize that women like the nurse weren't really his type; they were just temporary distractions he told himself he enjoyed in an effort to pretend he wasn't lonely. The other NICU nurses were older and more matronly and Jack resisted when they took him from the incubator. But once the pretty nurse picked him up, he smiled and cooed at her, opening his green eyes so they could sparkle just for his special nurse. Tony sighed and shook his head when the nurse remarked that Jack was the cutest baby in the nursery (he was, oddly enough, the only boy) and was sure going to be a little heartbreaker when he grew up. _Tell me about it,_ Tony thought. _He's gonna be just like his old man when it comes to chicks._ Jack wasn't happy when the sexy nurse handed him over to Tony; he wanted to stay with her. But he soon calmed down, sighed once he realized that the nurse was gone and looked up at Tony, smiling. _Oh, you're gonna be trouble,_ Tony thought, sighing. He glanced around the NICU at the numerous incubators with placards reading "I'm a GIRL," looked back down at his son and said a silent prayer for the innocent baby girls who didn't realize the DiNozzo fox was already in the henhouse. Jack kicked his tiny feet, turning his head to look at one baby girl sleeping in the incubator next to his and pounded his little fists with excitement when she woke up and stared back at him. Then he yawned mightily and closed his eyes, ready for a nap.

Something else Baby Jack already had in common with him, Tony already saw, was that he loved to eat. When the nurses brought his formula, Jack took it down like he was starving. And he wasn't; he was eating every chance he got and had gained a good two pounds in a short period of time. The NICU nurses teased Tony and Ziva that they might have to find a bigger incubator. Tony, without missing a beat, suggested that instead they just send out for Baby's First Pizza and skip the formula.

"You're gonna like pepperoni and sausage with extra cheese just like Daddy, huh?" Tony asked Baby Jack as he rocked the tiny dozing infant back and forth. Jack opened one little green eye for a split second, dreamily gazing up at his father before going back to sleep. Ziva was already joking that with Tony, McFlea, Shep and the family's newest champion eater, Jack, in one house the family's refrigerator might not be able to handle the strain. Tony reminded her that Sarah was no flyweight when it came to chowing down, adding "And a certain Mini-driving Ninja Mom I know never misses a chance to raid the fridge for falafel." Ziva had eyed him coolly, sneered and went back to reading her book on economizing with a houseful of infants, "Babies On A Budget."

After an hour of rocking chair time with Tony, the pretty NICU nurse came over and whispered that Jack needed to get back to his incubator. He was napping soundly and both she and Tony hated to wake him but it was time for him to head back to what Tony had dubbed "The Box." His way of handling Baby Jack's premature birth and subsequent need for an incubator was to crack jokes to the NCIS family about his son being "Jack In The Box" but Tony never made these remarks around Ziva. He knew how worried she'd been when the baby came much earlier than he was due and Tony couldn't forget the look on her face when Baby Jack, who was born blue and not breathing, was immediately whisked away from them right after delivery. Few things truly scared Ziva but seeing their baby, so tiny and sick, taken away from them by doctors and nurses in masks and gowns had sent Ziva into tears. Tony tried to comfort her but found it difficult, seeing as how he, too, was terrified that their son wouldn't live.

Carefully rising from the rocker, Tony carried the still-sleeping Jack over to his incubator and lay his tiny son down gingerly on his tummy. Jack woke up but, seeing his pretty nurse adjusting the tubes and monitors attached to him, he only smiled and kicked out his little leg, not making any fuss.

"He's got a crush on you," Tony joked as the nurse closed the incubator. Baby Jack looked up at her once more, grinned and closed his green eyes. "Gettin' started young, I guess." The NICU nurse laughed.

"My husband might get a little jealous," she replied. "Because Jack here's a real cutie. Since he's the only boy in the nursery right now, we're all kind of keeping an extra eye on him, you know? Watching him around the girls. He's outnumbered."

"I think he could hold his own," Tony said, looking down at his son. "I'm sure he likes the fact that it's boy-girl-girl-girl-girl-girl-GIRL." Baby Jack opened and closed his fist.

"Actually," the nurse answered, "we've all noticed that he's kind of sweet on his next door neighbor here. He watches her all the time. I think he only pretends to like me because he's trying to get her attention -- make her jealous." Laughing, the nurse added, "It's working, too. She hates me. Screams like a banshee whenever I try to work with her or pick her up. And Jack just lies there and I swear he laughs at the whole thing. We all figured out that he liked her when we moved her away for a little while and he just cried and cried. Hollered like there was no tomorrow until we put her right back next to him. She cried, too, poor baby. He won't have another girl beside him." The nurse giggled. "And, oh, she likes him back. They're our little NICU lovebirds. When they're awake they just lay and stare at each other and kick and giggle back and forth. Our night nurse held them together once in the rocker and they went crazy making little "goos" and "gahs" at each other and kicking and trying to get to each other. It was the cutest thing!"

Baby Jack popped open one sleepy green eye at Tony, who leaned down to wink at him and blow him little kisses. Yawning again, the tiny baby smiled and opened his hand as if to wave goodbye to his father. Tony beamed with pride.

"She looks like a keeper, buddy," Tony whispered, jerking his head in the direction of the baby girl sleeping next to Jack. "Don't blow it, you hear me?"

With one huge kick of his leg, Jack sighed and giggled back at Tony before closing his little eyes and falling back into a gentle sleep.


	102. He's Sure The Boy I Love

Title: He's Sure The Boy I Love  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Sarah and Jack bond.

**-------------------- He's Sure The Boy I Love ---------------------**

Privately, Tony and Ziva both worried that even though Sarah had been excited about having a baby brother or sister, once the baby actually came she might get jealous. She'd always had all of their love to herself. How would she handle sharing her Mommy and Daddy, not to mention McFlea, Katey (as the family was now calling the cat they shared with Abby and Tim; "shorthand," Abby had termed it) and Shep the puppy, with a new baby who needed plenty of attention and affection?

After being in the NICU for a few weeks, Baby Jack was finally moved to the regular newborn nursery and Sarah was allowed to visit him in person. She'd seen her little brother in the NICU viewing area through the thick plate glass but hadn't had a chance to touch him or be close to him. Now after spending half the day with her mother, Tony was taking Sarah to meet Jack face to face for the first time.

Jack was less happy in the regular nursery than he'd been in NICU. Despite being much healthier, he seemed to know that he was no longer the only baby boy among a roomful of girls and he was jealous that the baby girl who'd been in the incubator beside him in NICU had been moved across the room, placed beside two big, strong newborn boys. Although the boys each outweighed Baby Jack by at least five pounds each, his tiny lungs were astonishingly powerful and he hollered non-stop until the nurses finally moved his little girlfriend back beside him -- after one of his NICU nurses came to visit and helpfully suggested that the nurses might save themselves plenty of grief if they kept Jack and his "sweetie" close. And also if they made sure Jack was away from the other little baby boys. He didn't like being near any of them and screamed whenever he was placed anywhere other than by a baby girl. Soon he became known to the nurses as the "Little Lothario." They all adored him.

Tony had asked the nurses if Jack could have any toys and they said he could if they were small and made of cloth. In NICU the babies weren't able to have any toys and Sarah had gone through the Zoo, trying to pick the perfect animal just for Baby Jack. Now she'd made her selection and wanted desperately to give her brother something special that was just from her. All the way to the hospital, she'd babbled a little nonsense story about "Jack Jack" and "Zoo" that made Tony smile.

Once they found Jack's crib in the nursery, Tony and Sarah stared down at him and made funny faces at the newest member of their family. Baby Jack kicked and giggled back up at them. Sarah squeaked with glee, thrilled that her baby brother was happy to see them.

"Hi Jack Jack!" Sarah said, waving the Zoo animal she'd chosen for him so that Jack could see his new toy. "LOOK, Jack Jack! Look! Look!"

When the nurse bundled Jack in a thin blanket and handed him to Tony, Sarah was beside herself when her little brother smiled and laughed at her, his green eyes sparkling with mischief. Tony cradled Sarah in his arms so that "they" could hold Baby Jack together. Sarah was extra careful with little Jack, fully aware that he was a special package.

"She loves babies," Tony told the nurse. "Human... animal... now she's even starting to notice those itty-bitty one-dollar goldfish at the pet store." The nurse laughed.

"Here, Jack Jack! Mooooooooooooo!" Sarah gave Baby Jack his first Zoo kiss with his new toy. Ducky and Jimmy had thoughtfully repaired the little misshapen cow the Brannons had sent her for her first birthday but she had a scar across her tummy now as result of gaining some stuffing. Sarah picked Stitches The Cow just for Jack because she, too, had been sick but the doctors made her all better. Baby Jack squealed with joy, fighting to get out of his blanket and grab at his toy, even if he wasn't sure what grabbing for anything really was.

"I think he likes it, Snugglepumpkin," Tony said to Sarah, kissing her cheek. She giggled and blushed. Tony tucked Stitches into Jack's blanket and he settled down again, making little "goo" and "gah" sounds. Sarah leaned over and gave Baby Jack a kiss on his tiny cheek. He screamed happily, kicking furiously inside his blanket, and Sarah was overjoyed. Tony helped Sarah hold Jack so that she could hug him. He laughed and kicked in his blanket. Finally he was able to get his little fists free and he waved them in the air, overcome with excitement. Sarah kissed Jack again and he screamed again, his high-pitched peals of glee ringing throughout the nursery. The other babies began kicking in their cribs, looking to see what the fuss was about.

"MY Jack Jack!" Sarah squeaked, hugging her baby brother tightly to her with her daddy's help. "MY baby bwuh." Jack replied with newborn babble, delighting Sarah when he reached out and grabbed her index finger with his tiny hand.

Seeing this special moment between his daughter and son, Tony grinned. These two would turn his hair prematurely grey for certain. And that was just fine.


	103. Lonely Boy

Title: Lonely Boy  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Baby Jack suffers his first heartbreak.

**-------------------- Lonely Boy ---------------------  
**  
She was his first love.

From the minute he saw her lying next to him in her little pink diaper, she was all he thought of -- when he wasn't wondering when one of the nice ladies with the yummy-tasting milky stuff was coming back again. Or when he wasn't conked out, sleeping. He liked sleeping. And getting to drink down the yummy milky stuff. But he liked her, too. Because she was always looking at him and smiling. She had a pretty little smile. She liked the yummy milky stuff as much as he did.

Their little boxes were right beside one another so they were always playing, in their own secret way, and sending each other little messages that only the two of them understood.

Pounding one fist meant "Hey! What'cha doin'?"

Pounding two fists stood for "YO! I'm talkin' to you! What's up?"

Kicking out one foot was code for "Check this out. I'm gonna do something cool in a minute."

Kicking out both feet meant either "THAT was AWESOME! Do it AGAIN!" or "Wait! Wait! I missed it! Start over!"

And of course, yawning was the eternal sign for "I'm sleepy. Let's talk later, OK?"

They had it all down, their little code, and for weeks they used it to get to know each other. So by the time they were moved out of their warm boxes to an unfamiliar place where the boxes weren't that cozy, they had bonded. He loved her. And she loved him back.

He didn't like the bigger room with all the new babies. It wasn't as quiet and there were other babies like him who weren't pretty and didn't wear pink. In the old room, he was the only baby who wore blue and it made him feel special. Now the other babies in blue squawked and yelled and, worst of all, the two biggest ones were on either side of HIS girl. The nice ladies in the new room had placed him far away from his pretty little friend. It made him mad and he hollered his little head off about it. But mostly it left him feeling like he really _should_ cry all the time because he couldn't see his friend or laugh and play with her. He missed her so much; and the two new babies in blue were trying to play with her just like HE used to.

He had to do something to get her back. So he just kept hollering.

And they finally moved her next to him.

They were together again. For a while.

But then one day two big people came to see her. They smiled down at her and picked her up and hugged and kissed her, just like his big people did when they came to see him. So he was happy for her. It was fun when the big people came. They brought neat things like the Moo one of his little big people gave him. He loved his Moo. It was soft and fuzzy.

The nice ladies wrapped his special friend in her pink blanket and her big people didn't put her back in her new box. He pounded his fist once, then twice. She watched him from over the shoulder of the biggest big person.

This time, she just opened her little hand wide so he could see it.

It was something new in their code and it made Jack sob.

The open hand meant only one thing: "Goodbye."


	104. I Say A Little Prayer

Title: I Say A Little Prayer  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Finally, Ziva gets alone time with Baby Jack.

**-------------------- I Say A Little Prayer ---------------------**

Ziva held her son in her arms, humming a low melody softly as she gently rocked him back and forth. Jack gazed lovingly back up at her, a little smile playing at his tiny lips.

_This must have been what Tony looked like as a baby,_ Ziva thought. Looking at Jack was like staring into her husband's handsome face; their son had his father's sparkling green eyes and it was already evident that when he grew up he'd be as attractive as Tony.

Also, Ziva realized, as much trouble. Baby Jack's mischievous streak was already well-noted among the NICU nurses and now those in the neo-natal unit as well. He loved being around the baby girls in the nursery and was eager for their attention (as well as that of the nurses). When it came to the baby boys, though, Jack got jealous whenever one of them was shown more care than he was and he wasn't shy about letting the whole nursery know how unhappy it made him. Tony's lungs were scarred from his bout with plague; Baby Jack's were undersized from being premature but they were astonishingly strong and he could holler almost non-stop for hours on end.

"You," Ziva said to her baby boy, "are just like your father. Do you know that?"

Baby Jack grinned back at her, reaching out to grip her index finger with his little hand. He began chattering away, babbling newborn-speak to Ziva's delight.

"I see that you have inherited Tony's need to talk all the time," Ziva teased, kissing Jack's forehead, "and that is just fine with me, my little batterbox." She furrowed her brow, wondering if she'd gotten the nickname for people who never stopped talking right. Shrugging, Ziva figured that "batterbox" was close enough.

After about fifteen minutes of non-stop baby babbling, Jack finally dozed off. Ziva tenderly studied her sleeping boy.

"What will you be when you grow up?" Ziva whispered, cradling Jack in her arms. She rubbed his tummy and he kicked his right leg in his sleep. "Will you be a special agent like Daddy or Mommy? Or a Marine like Gibbs? A doctor like Ducky? Maybe you will be a scientist like Abby or a brilliant writer and technician like McGee?" Baby Jack frowned, dreaming. "I hope," Ziva continued, "that you will be whatever you wish. I hope that you will be... oh, maybe... a cowboy? Or an astronaut? Your sister Sarah wants to be a zookeeper, I believe. Or President of the United States. She has not yet decided." Ziva kissed Jack's forehead again. "You both have much time to grow and make so many plans."

Before the nurses came to take Jack back to the nursery, Ziva's thoughts turned to her own childhood and how she would make certain that Jack and Sarah never experienced what she, Ari and Tali had. Sarah and Jack would not be raised as future warriors; they would get to be, simply, children. Ziva sighed, wondering how -- or if -- things might have turned out differently for Ari, Tali and herself if they'd been born to a different father. But then a wave of guilt overcame her; she loved her father and knew that somewhere deep down he'd thought he was doing what was best for his children in order to protect them. Would Ari have been there at the hospital right now to hold Jack and be a good uncle to him? What sort of adult might Tali have become?

Baby Jack smacked his lips in his sleep, just as Tony did. And Ziva couldn't help but feel sadness despite her own happy situation.

If Ari and Tali had lived, she probably would never have come to America from Israel, would never have met Tony and would never have become mother to Sarah and, now, to Jack.

"Sweet Cheeks?"

Tony peeped in from the doorway, speaking softly so he wouldn't wake Jack or startle Ziva. She wiped back tears and looked up, offering him a tired smile. He joined her and carefully gave Jack a little smooch on his forehead. Jack sighed happily and pounded his little fist, continuing to dream.

"Wonder what he's dreaming about?" Tony asked. He leaned over, planting a soft kiss on Ziva's cheek. "Maybe he's pretending to be a VERY Special Agent like a certain Daddy-O I know." Tony beamed, winking at Ziva. "Gotta get him started early."

"Perhaps he is dreaming of being like you someday," Ziva answered, cuddling her sleeping boy against her. "Or he might just be dreaming about nothing much at all." She stroked Jack's fine hair. "Sleep well, my little cowboy."


	105. You're My Best Friend

Title: You're My Best Friend  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Baby Jack comes home and he's a bad BAD boy.

**-------------------- You're My Best Friend ---------------------**

"Never thought I'd see the day when Sarah and McFlea were both howlin' in stereo," Tony said, his green eyes wide with horror. He was too stunned to move from where he stood in the doorway of the nursery.

The day had been spent celebrating Baby Jack's homecoming from the hospital. McFlea and Katey had welcomed Jack with licks and dog kisses but nobody had been more thrilled at his sudden appearance than Shep. Now he had someone his own size to pal around with and he -- and Baby Jack -- had immediately bonded. So much so that Shep had whined and Baby Jack had hollered until Tony and Ziva finally relented and allowed them to sleep together in Jack's crib at bedtime. Naturally, McFlea had then jumped into Sarah's bed and Tony and Ziva wondered if they'd ever have children -- or pets -- who could sleep alone.

Now their worst fears -- and much, much more -- had been realized.

"Tony?" Ziva said, clutching at her husband's arm, "I am... afraid."

"God help us all, then," Tony whispered, grimacing.

As Sarah and McFlea howled and cried in her bed, a giddy Shep and Baby Jack - both naked as jaybirds - squealed with glee as they balanced themselves against the side of their Gibbs-crafted crib. Two perfect streams of pee arched from where they stood. Baby Jack shook his bare little butt in Sarah's direction while Shep wagged his tiny tail excitedly. Both were exceptionally proud of their big achievement.

"They are... marking their territory?" Ziva asked. She couldn't wrap her mind around what was happening at the moment. Tony wrinkled his nose, looking disgusted.

"I'm grabbin' some Pampers _fast_," Tony replied, "before they turn around and see that WE haven't been... _claimed_ yet."


	106. Can't Hardly Wait

Title: Can't Hardly Wait  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's glad Ziva's home from the hospital. Really glad.

**-------------------- Can't Hardly Wait ---------------------**

"Welcome home, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said, snuggling up to Ziva as she rested in bed. "I missed you when you were in the hospital."

"Obviously," Ziva replied, her brown eyes glancing down to where Tony's hips met hers.

"Oh... sorry," Tony snickered, a little embarrassed. "I'm just... really glad to see you. Cliché as that sounds." Ziva gave him a knowing stare and Tony explained, "Can't help myself when I'm around you, my ninja. You entice me. And now you're just that much sexier to me since you've had our son." Tony's voice grew husky. "Pregnancy looked good on you, Ziva. And now so does being a new mom. Again. You're twice as hot as you were when we first got Sarah. And you were scorching then, my wee habañero pepper de amor." He growled under his breath.

Ziva grinned, rolling her eyes.

"You want to make love, my little furry mutt?" Ziva smirked. "It has been awhile since we were able to..."

"Yeah, it has..." Tony agreed breathily "...been awhile since we were _able to._" He pressed closer against Ziva now, nuzzling her neck. "Remember that day back in the Fall when we were... _able to..._ in the park? That's when you got pregnant with Jack." Tony's green eyes searched Ziva's dark face with longing. "I miss the days when we were... _able to._ Whenever. Wherever. For however long..."

"So do I," Ziva purred, thrilling to the touch of Tony's lips on her skin. "But it will still be some time before we are... _able to,_ Tony." She stroked his bare back tenderly, loving the feel of his muscles under her hands. "I ... I am not ..." Ziva wondered how she could delicately phrase the harsh truth. "I have only been home from the hospital for..."

Tony pulled back, offering Ziva a gentle, understanding look. He grinned slightly, his green eyes full of kindness and warmth.

"Aw, _honey!_" Tony said, really feeling guilty. "I didn't mean it like that. I know you're not in any shape to... I mean, that _we_ can't..." He sighed and planted a soft kiss on Ziva's lips. "Ziva... Baby... You just _had_ a baby. _Our_ baby." Tony moved his hips away from Ziva's, groaning as he did so. "It's not your fault that I'm... uh... so _excited_ to have you home again. Heh..." He turned over onto his back and stared at the ceiling. "I just miss... us being together like we could be -- even when you were pregnant with Jack, that's all. I love you, Ziva."

Ziva gazed lovingly at her husband, turning to lay her head on his chest. She peppered Tony's neck and cheek with hot little kisses.

"Uh... Lambchop?" Tony said, forcing a smile through obvious pain, "I love your kisses -- LOVE 'em -- but right now they're NOT helping our... situation." He cleared his throat and shifted his hips, trying to find a more comfortable position. There wasn't one. Tony sighed, aching, and could only watch in mock horror as Ziva began to trace little patterns in his chest hair. "Um, Angel Kisses?" Tony began, finding himself suddenly quieted when Ziva's mouth hungrily overtook his.

Much later, as Ziva lay snoring against Tony's chest, he dreamily grinned up at the nothingness of the ceiling above their bed. It had been awhile since he and Ziva were able to be naked together, intimately alone and able to enjoy one another.

_Man,_ Tony thought to himself, his goofy grin growing wider, _I really missed us being able to ... make out like that, Sweet Cheeks.  
_  
_And it's gonna be amazing when we're able to_ -- he chuckled to himself, glancing over at Ziva as she let out a giant snore -- _actually have sex again._


	107. Me & My Friends

Title: Me & My Friends  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Baby Jack knows who's who in the NCIS family.

**-------------------- Me & My Friends ---------------------**

By now, Baby Jack was getting used to all the new faces in his world. He was in a new place, too, where there weren't any other Little People like him -- or at least no others who wore big blue or pink diapers that he could see. He could also now tell all of his Big People apart; each of the Big People were different and one of the Big People was a Little Big Person, not much bigger than Jack himself. She was one of his favorite Big People because she kissed and hugged him and gave him his Moo, which he slept with every night. She wore pink diapers like his sweetie in the warm box once did but he only saw his Little Big Person's pink diaper occasionally, not all the time.

The Little Big Person liked to wear pretty things over her pink diaper so she could run around the new place. Jack wanted to run around, too, but when he tried -- just to stand up by himself -- he just fell down on his face. Whenever this happened, the Little Big Person giggled and screamed out what sounded like "JACK JACK FALL!" or "SILLY Jack Jack!" Since Jack saw her laughing, he didn't cry; he just smiled at her because he was glad that he'd made her happy. But he didn't understand why she screamed out "JACK JACK NO!" and "BAD Jack Jack!" when he tried to show off how he'd learned to prop himself up against the new box and take off his blue diaper so he could watch himself make things wet. Jack thought this was a neat trick but his Little Big Person didn't like that at all. Neither did the other Big People in the house, Mommy and Daddy. But his little fuzzy friend who could do the same thing liked it, too, so Jack kept on with it.

His fuzzy friend had a little fuzzy thing that he could move back and forth really fast on the place where he sat down and Jack wanted one, too, so that he could make it wag when they both made things wet together. Since he didn't have one, though, he had to shake his own sit-down part back and forth. And his Little Big Person didn't like that, either. Whenever he did that to show her how happy he was about his little trick, she started crying and hollering something that sounded like "DADDY! MOMMY! JACK JACK WEE-WEE!" Then a Big Person put a blue diaper on him again and he couldn't do his trick. Also his little fuzzy friend got taken away, which made Jack sad.

In the relatively short time he'd been home, Jack had figured out that...

The Big Person who rocked him the most when he woke up late at night and made the funniest faces that made him laugh was named "Daddy." He'd heard his Little Big Person say "Daddy" over and over so the Funny Big Person was "Daddy." Sometimes Daddy's face made Jack's hand itch and if Daddy had been outside he didn't smell good. That made Jack holler and Daddy would go somewhere for a little while and come back smelling much better. Jack liked it when Daddy smelled good and his face didn't feel itchy. Daddy loved Jack and Jack loved his Daddy.

The Prettiest Big Person in the house was "Mommy" and she always smelled really good and her voice was soft and made Jack feel safe. Sometimes she said things to Jack that sounded funny and even Daddy didn't understand her but Jack always knew that Mommy loved him. She kissed him and hugged him and held him until he fell asleep every night. He loved Mommy so much.

His Little Big Person who kissed and hugged him until he had to scream because he was so happy was called "Sarah." But sometimes that Daddy guy would say a word that sounded like "Snug-a-pum-pin" and Sarah would laugh. Daddy was funny. Sarah was funny too. And sweet to Jack. She sang him little songs and her soft Moos that didn't moo were always visiting him in his crib and watching over him when he slept because Sarah would ask them to "kiss Jack Jack" each night. Jack loved being Sarah's "Jack Jack" and he wished he could say her name so he could tell her that he loved her, too.

Another Pretty Big Person who smelled good and looked so funny that Jack laughed whenever he saw her came to see him often, too, and she was called "Aunt Abby." Most of the time a Goofy Looking Big Person called "Uncle Timmy" was with her. He was nice to Jack and Jack liked him. The same with the Big Person who his favorite Little Big Person called "Duck Duck" -- Baby Jack giggled whenever Duck Duck put a funny looking thing in his ears, then put another part of it on Jack's chest and listened. Then Duck Duck would let Sarah listen, too. Duck Duck's friend, Jimmy, made funny faces like Daddy and, just like Daddy, he made Jack laugh.

Someone called The Director always found a smile for Baby Jack and Sarah, even if he frowned most of the time around the other Big People. And a sweet, nice woman named Mrs. Vance hummed songs to Jack under her breath whenever she visited; he liked her just fine. The Director had two Sort of Big People who liked to tickle Baby Jack, which he also liked.

Finally, there was a Big Person called Boss Boss. Besides Daddy and Mommy, he was Sarah's favorite Big Person and she always hugged and kissed him when he came over to the house. Baby Jack thought Boss Boss had to be nice since Sarah liked him but he wasn't quite sure what to make of him just yet. So he tried to study him as carefully as he could. He wanted to be certain Boss Boss liked him, too. Sometimes it was hard to tell but he thought Boss Boss was his friend.

It was a lot for such a little baby to keep track of but, as he lay in his crib every night snuggled with his little fuzzy friend, Jack thought of all his new People, Big and Little, and he felt warm. Knowing that he'd wake the next morning to see each of them at some time during the day, he dozed off dreaming of loving so many new people -- and being loved in return.


	108. Let's Go

Title: Let's Go  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo runs errands.

**-------------------- Let's Go ---------------------**

"Poor sweet baby," Tony sighed, shaking his head dejectedly. "I know this can't be comfortable for you. Lemme try to... unhhh... shift some stuff around, OK?"

"It is a car, Tony," Ziva said, turning from where she sat in the front seat of Tony's '66 Mustang. "And our children are not 'some stuff.'" She frowned, mildly unhappy.

"First of all, my bride," Tony answered, grunting as he gently shoved McFlea's now rather muscular hindquarters from a sleeping Sarah's lap, "I wasn't talking about our little angels when I said that." McFlea, half-asleep, hardly budged and Tony gritted his teeth, redoubling his efforts to move his oldest "son" from the back seat to the floor. "I was referring to a certain McMutt who doesn't know the meaning of the word 'MOVE,' though!" McFlea raised his ears momentarily, whined and then drowsily slid down to the car's back floor area, where he sprawled out to doze off.

"And second, Sweet Cheeks," Tony went on, wiping sweat from his brow as he plucked Shep the puppy from Baby Jack's car seat, eliciting a little yip from Shep and a short holler of protest from Jack, "The 'Stang is NOT just a car. You, my prickly pear, enjoy the unique privilege of being able to cruise the nation's capital in style, thanks to the engineering genius of the men who designed the Ford Mustang." Settling Shep down in the floor with his father, Tony narrowed his green eyes playfully at Ziva and said, "You didn't see McQueen tearing around the streets of San Francisco in 'Bullitt' driving a Camaro, my ninja. Think about it." Raising an eyebrow as he gave her a pointed stare, Tony popped his driver's seat back into place, slid in behind the wheel and took a moment to catch his breath from having rearranged the back seat's precious cargo. Looking over at Ziva, he teasingly asked, "Where to, Miss?"

The family's first stop after dropping off the dogs at Ducky's for the day and then getting coffee and breakfast at their favorite local drive-thru was Target, Ziva's favorite one-stop shopping destination. Tony snickered whenever she defended "her store" to him, saying "As a Mossad assassin, how could I not respect such a name?"

"_Former_ Mossad assassin, my plum," Tony corrected, taking a sip of his coffee as he fastened Baby Jack, who frowned and kicked unhappily, into his stroller. Ziva lifted Sarah into the "kids seat" of the shopping cart, buckling her in. "Now you're a Grade-A U.S. NCIS agent, Snuggle Buns," Tony teased, grinning broadly. "And a mother," he added, planting a little kiss on Ziva's cheek. She smirked back at Tony, rolling her eyes. Sarah giggled.

"Once an assassin, always an assassin, my little furry mutt," Ziva replied, pushing her red plastic cart into the store. Sarah pointed helpfully to the One Spot area from her seat and Ziva leaned in close to whisper to her daughter. "Yes, I see. We will come back to your favorite part of the store. I promise. You know why we cannot stop there now."

"Hey, Ziva!" Tony called out from behind. "Look! Yo-Yos! Only a buck each!" He began scooping up handfuls of the toys, plopping them in Baby Jack's lap when he couldn't hold any more.

Ziva sighed. Sarah clapped her tiny hands over her eyes and, mimicking her mother, sighed.

"Now you remember?" Ziva asked Sarah. Sarah pooched out her lower lip, looking at her daddy, and nodded solemnly. "Tony! Put those back! You do NOT need those!"

"Aw, c'mon, honey!" Tony whined, trying to keep Baby Jack from pushing the pile of yo-yos off his little lap. "One dollar yo-yos. ONE DOLLAR YO-YOS!" He offered Ziva his most "pitiful" look, hoping she'd relent. "I just want one! Or... two. Three? OK, two. Just two little yo-yos. Pleeeeeeeease?"

"Fine," Ziva said, frustrated already. "Two no-nos. But nothing more for you. You have not been good this week."

"Yo-Yos, my thrifty maid," Tony corrected, thrilled that he was getting new toys. "And I have too been a good boy this week. Especially last Tuesday night." He winked at Ziva knowingly. She rolled her eyes, smirking, in response.

While Ziva and Sarah looked at some colorful spring gardening hats, Tony and Baby Jack frowned at each other when Jack, with a mighty shove, heaved the yo-yos off his lap and gave Tony a "mad" face. Tony tried to stare him down, narrowing his green eyes at his little newborn son. But Jack just stared back at him, daring him to put more yo-yos (or anything else) on his lap. Tony sniffed dismissively, grumbled under his breath about "someone else being a really bad boy," picked the yo-yos up from the floor and replaced them on the rack. Keeping one red and one blue yo-yo, he placed them into the shopping cart. Ziva sighed, shook her head at Tony's antics and pushed the cart forward. Sarah studied the list Ziva brought along. Tony followed with Jack and the stroller.

Once Sarah and Ziva had gone to buy Sarah some new spring rompers, Tony and Baby Jack made their way to the Automotive department.

"That's right, buddy," Tony said, taking Jack out of the stroller. "You 'n' me need a little guy time, huh?" He hoisted his little son up so he could carry him around. Baby Jack kicked excitedly, looking at all the bright, shiny tools and car parts around him. "Gotta find a couple wrenches, Jack," Tony told his boy, frowning as he studied some tools. "Need to give the 'Stang a little tune-up. She's soundin' kinda puny. You gonna help Daddy in the garage, hm?" Tony gave Jack a little kiss on the cheek. Baby Jack giggled and squirmed, making a "Gah" sound. Like Tony, he frowned and stared seriously at the tools.

"Bet he's the ace mechanic in the family, DiNozzo."

Tony stiffened, then grinned, recognizing the voice. Baby Jack squirmed in his father's arms, turning to see who was speaking. When he saw Gibbs, he studied him carefully for a minute or so before smiling.

"He will be, Boss," Tony said proudly. Then he thought better of it, adding, "Well, Sarah's always gonna be our Numero Uno under the hood, y'know, but Jack here looks like a quick study. We're gonna perk up the 'Stang little bit later on. Poke around, get her sounding back up to snuff." Tony sniffed manfully, frowning as he puffed out his chest. "Can't have her engine whining like the McGeeMobile next door. Heh heh heh..."

"Thinking about doing a little work on the 'Cuda," Gibbs said, checking the price of some shop towels. "Get out the grill. I'll bring the steaks."

"Cowboy style, Boss?" Tony's eyes lit up at the thought of huge steaks on the grill. His mouth watered.

"Yup," Gibbs grabbed an armload of the shop towels and called out "Bringin' beer, too!"

"Cowboy steaks and beer!" Tony said excitedly in a low voice to Baby Jack. Tony's son patted his face tenderly, studying his father's huge grin. "Ohhhhh, Daddy's happy..."

At checkout, Ziva eyed Tony curiously.

"You are in a good mood," she said, studying Tony as he scanned one gossip rag after another while they waited in line. "Explain."

"Brangelina is calling it quits," Tony replied in all seriousness, pointing out Angelina Jolie to Baby Jack, who giggled. "Wonder who's gonna step up and play Mr. Brady to that Bunch? Once Brad started wearing the retro hats everywhere, I knew they were doomed. He's no Sinatra. Not even Dino to Clooney's pseudo-Frank. A pale imitation of Peter Lawford, maybe, but not in any way good enough to keep Angie..."

"You are stalling," Ziva pointed out. "Your sudden cheerfulness. Let it drip."

"Rip, my smart shopper," Tony corrected, frowning as he quickly read a gossip item about two of his favorite TV stars who were dating. "Let it rip, you mean. Hey, did you know that guy on 'IRS: Undercover' and the hot chick who plays his partner on the show are a couple in real life? How can they stand to see each other every hour of the day and then go home and... see each other every hour of the night, too? Now that's just gotta be..."

"TONY!" Ziva barked, getting the attention of everyone in line. Sarah hid her face under the gardening hat Ziva was about to buy while Baby Jack clapped with glee, squealing when his father grimaced at the sound of his mother's voice. "What have you slipped into the basket?" Ziva hissed, glaring at her husband. "Snacks? Toys? Movies with names like 'Bikini Babe Beach'? Do you NOT remember that we are now on a budget, having two babies?"

"I know, Sweet Cheeks. I didn't sneak any snacks... this time. The Boss is coming over," Tony answered innocently, his green eyes wide. "We're gonna work on the cars. Grill Cowboy Steaks. Drink beer."

"Oh," Ziva replied. Sarah peeped out from under the hat. Baby Jack hugged Tony's neck. "I am sorry. I thought you had put more no-nos into the cart." Smiling sweetly, she said, "My mistake, my love. What were you saying about... tangerines?"

"Nothing," Tony said, raising an eyebrow at Ziva. "But now I think I am justified in sneaking a few snacks since you pointed the accusatory finger at me, Lambchop." Pouting, he grabbed a bag of King Kong Kakes from a nearby rack and tossed them into the cart. "And after the Boss leaves, I think I'll curl up with some serious reading," he added, flipping his gossip rags into the basket. "Someone in this house has to keep up with the news of the world."


	109. Angel

Title: Angel  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony spends quality time with someone special.

**-------------------- Angel ---------------------**

The feel of the sun on their shoulders after the long, bitter winter brought a welcome warmth and they relished every minute of it. Just being out in the fresh spring air made Tony feel invigorated and full of energy. He loved this time of year, when everything was green and new.

So did Sarah. And that's why he'd roused her out of bed early this weekend morning, made her favorite breakfast (TigerBerry Pancakes with blueberries and raspberries making "stripes" in the cakes themselves) and got her dressed for a day at "their" special place -- the neighborhood park.

Since Baby Jack's arrival, Sarah hadn't gotten as much attention as she'd been used to and both Tony and Ziva worried about how she'd handle the change. Jack was now strong and healthy but still needed all the care and tending any newborn would. But Sarah hadn't fussed or been jealous; she'd instead tried her best to help her parents with her baby brother, who she adored, and was the same good toddler she'd always been. Nevertheless, Tony wanted to make sure his baby girl knew that even with a new son around - and more babies to likely come in the future - Sarah was still his special firstborn and she'd always be number one with him.

Now, pushing his year-old daughter in the swing at the park, Tony was beside himself with joy. Hearing Sarah's thrilled screams as she shrieked "Hiya! Hiya! Daddy! Hiya!" made him feel as if he'd burst with pride. She was growing so fast, talking like a champ. He loved watching the bright midmorning sun highlight her flowing curly locks as he propelled her higher in the swing, just as she'd asked.

"Whew!" Tony gasped, wiping sweat from his brow as he watched the swing slow, Sarah's laughter pealing through the air. "Think it's about time we take a break, Snugglepumpkin, huh?" Catching the swing - and Sarah - he brought it to a halt. Sarah kicked and giggled; she, too, was ready for a little rest.

Hoisting Sarah into his arms, Tony headed for a hot dog vendor and bought two steaming red hots. He carefully added mustard to both. Balancing Sarah and the snacks, Tony found a bench near a large tree and, settling Sarah beside him, handed her a hot dog. Once they'd "toasted" each other with their snacks, they chomped down on their hot dogs in unison, chewing slowly and carefully as they watched the other people in the park going about their leisure. Tony felt Sarah tug gently at his Levi's and, handing her a napkin, he leaned down so she could dab at his mouth, cleaning a little spot of mustard by his lip. After a while, when they'd finished their snack, Tony and Sarah looked at each other and smiled.

"Good, huh?" Tony asked his baby girl. Sarah nodded yes. Tony leaned down to whisper in Sarah's ear. "Want another one?" Sarah again nodded yes. Picking Sarah up again, Tony returned to the hot dog vendor's cart and ordered two more hot dogs. He added mustard. This time he also bought a Coke that he and Sarah shared.

Finding a soft, grassy spot beneath another tree, Tony lay down and Sarah snuggled against her daddy's chest. She was asleep in minutes, napping for a good hour before Tony woke her. Once Sarah was fully alert, she and Tony had a nice talk about everything that was important to her -- Mommy; Baby Jack; McFlea, Katey and Shep; why Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe were adopting Schlep The Camel (they wanted a baby after seeing Baby Jack, it seemed); and Shep's trying to eat Silly Monkey, which made her sad. Tony explained that Shep loved his brother and was only giving him love nibbles. Sarah frowned, not quite buying it, but sighed and went along for the moment. Sarah asked, in her learning-to-talk way, when Boss Boss was coming over and Tony said they'd all be in for a surprise, wouldn't they, when that happened. Sarah nodded yes, grinning.

After a couple more hours of play and studying the squirrels in the park, Tony and Sarah enjoyed ice cream cones. Both had chocolate chip, making a pinky promise to keep this last snack their little secret. Sarah sweetly patted Tony's little gut, cooing "Daddy tummy happy" and Tony sighed that yes, he guessed it was.

Walking home in the late afternoon sun, Sarah planted a tender kiss on Tony's cheek and told him how much she loved her daddy. Tony smiled and kissed his baby girl back, replying that her daddy loved his Snugglepumpkin, too, especially when she gave him chocolate chip smooches. Sarah giggled, resting her little head on Tony's shoulder, exhausted from the big day.


	110. In Your Skin

Title: In Your Skin  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony finds out what happened to his former mystery neighbors.

**-------------------- In Your Skin ---------------------**

Out in his garage, despite the clatter from various tools Tony used to fix his beloved '66 Mustang, he felt safe -- as if he had a quiet refuge far removed from his daily Daddy duties and everything they entailed. And while Tony loved being man of his house and a father and husband, he also enjoyed (and needed) some occasional alone time to gather his thoughts and decompress from the pressures of his NCIS job and the many babies, dogs, cats, Crazy Ninja Chicks and McNeighbors who all wanted his attention.

He'd been poking around under The 'Stang's hood for the better part of a Sunday afternoon, making little progress on souping up the engine so it would — as Ziva had teasingly but incorrectly put it as only she could — "better power a horse." Sarah just wanted The 'Stang to go "GROWWWWL" more like Tony The Tiger did whenever he was in a fussy mood or, if he was feeling happy, trying to impress Jenny Giraffe. Tony hoped to satisfy them both but wasn't having much success at anything except getting oil all over his old Ohio State t-shirt and ripped Levi's.

"Gonna leave any oil for her engine, DiNozzo?"

Gibbs' voice startled Tony, who jumped up, banging his head on the underside of the hood.

"AAAAHHH!" Tony squinted in the dim fluorescent light of the garage, rubbing the knot growing on his head. "Hey, Boss. Got some cold ones over there in that little... owwww... fridge."

Gibbs got himself a cold beer and handed one to Tony. Toasting one another, they each took big swigs and studied the Mustang's engine.

"Tryin' to get her runnin' smoother, Boss," Tony explained, rubbing his sore head, "but she's still sounding kinda puny." He took another swig of beer.

"Drain the oil, DiNozzo," Gibbs suggested between long pulls on his cold one. "Start fresh."

"Oh. Yeah. Didn't think of that, Boss," Tony stammered. "Heh. Probably shoulda done that at the beginning."

"That's what your old neighbors did. Start fresh," Gibbs said, turning up his brown glass bottle. He eyed the engine thoughtfully.

"Huh? Not following you." Tony frowned, staring at his "work" under the hood before turning slightly to look at Gibbs. "Oh! The Brannons! Yeah -- they're lovin' the farm life in Meee-shi-gan. Janet wrote Ziva last week that Brad's a natural at cow milking. Soft hands or something like that. I didn't ask for details."

"Talkin' about your other old neighbors, Tony," Gibbs said, finishing his beer. He picked up a shop rag and began cleaning up Tony's oily mess of engine work. "Your Kate and Ari lookalikes. They got a fresh start. Again."

Now Tony was truly confused but fully intrigued.

"Ah," he replied, finishing his own beer. Tossing the bottle somewhat angrily towards a large plastic wastebasket, he smirked at Gibbs before saying, "_That_ happy couple. They never call, they never write, they don't send us weird deja vu vibes anymore... I think it's safe to say we're off their Christmas card list."

Gibbs looked up from his work, giving Tony a hard, icy stare. Tony dropped his eyes to the garage floor.

"Sorry, Boss," Tony said quietly. "What is the story with... _them?_"

"Witness Protection Program," Gibbs answered, wiping grease from one particularly stubborn area of the Mustang's engine. "Got a contact over there. Their names -- the real names -- aren't important. The aliases they had when they were livin' here were Kathy and Aaron Miller. He was an accountant. Got mixed up in mob stuff. Her mistake was bein' married to him. They testified against the big boys. Earned 'em a bunch of new names and addresses. Witness Protection really screwed up when they found out they'd moved 'em next to two NCIS agents. Scared hell outta Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Now they got another new address. New names, too."

"Sounds like a hell of a life," Tony said. "All I wanna know is, why'd he come in my house after Ziva? She's not the fainting type and he put her down for the count." Tony lowered his voice. "Boss, she thought for a minute that she hadn't killed Ari after all. And I gotta say -- that... 'Kathy' or whatever her name was? Looked almost just like Kate. Freaked me out when I saw her."

"Don't have all the answers, DiNozzo," Gibbs said softly. "Just know ya won't be seein' them again -- Kathy and Aaron. Or Kate and Ari." Gibbs put a hand on Tony's shoulder. "You know that, Tony."

"Sure, Boss," Tony answered, swallowing hard at the thought of Kate really being gone. Then his green eyes brightened. "Want another cold one?"

"Ya have to ask?" Gibbs joked, frowning as he began to drain the oil from the Mustang's engine.


	111. My Stupid Mouth

Title: My Stupid Mouth  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony says the wrong thing to Ziva.

**-------------------- My Stupid Mouth ---------------------**

"You haven't touched your salad, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said, his green eyes sparkling in the candlelight illuminating the small table for two he and Ziva shared. Frowning, he leaned over to sneak a peek at the small plate of mixed greens. "Looks like your garden variety arugula to me," Tony joked, snickering at his pun.

Ziva smiled weakly, moving some greens around on the plate absentmindedly.

"I am not hungry, I guess," she said quietly.

"Huh?" Tony grunted, more than a little confused. They'd been planning a cozy date night dinner out for over a month since Baby Jack came home and they were finally alone together at their favorite Italian trattoria. Ziva had been looking forward to this night -- or she'd said she was, anyway.

"Perhaps I am not feeling as well as I was earlier, Tony," Ziva sighed, looking forlornly at the white linen tablecloth. Her brown eyes were tired and ringed with dark circles. "I'm sorry."

Tony took Ziva's hand in his, really worried. If Ziva was sick, he wanted to find out what was going on.

"What's wrong, honey?" Tony asked. "You need to see the doctor?" He whipped out his cellphone. "Lemme call Ducky and..."

"Oh, Tony... no... it is not anything like that," Ziva stammered, reaching out to stop Tony from making the call. "I just..." She again dropped her eyes, unable to look at Tony directly. After a minute, she gathered herself and faced her husband straight on. Ziva nodded towards a tall, shapely young woman with obvious breast implants and long hair that was impossibly, perfectly blonde. "I will _never_ look like _that_," Ziva stated flatly.

Tony did a double-take, seeing the girl Ziva was comparing herself to. He stared at the blonde, then at Ziva, then back at the blonde, then back at Ziva.

"Well," Tony began slowly, "seeing as how _you_ have black hair and _haven't_ had a boob job and _she_ has bleached blonde hair _and_ a boob job -- a really _nice_ boob job, but a boob job nonetheless -- then, no, I'd say your chances of looking like that are slim to nada, Ziva. Unless _you_ get a boob job." Seeing the look on Ziva's face, Tony pursed his lips and remarked, "I'm going to stop saying the word 'boob' now. And, uh... also just... stop... talking." He hurriedly gulped down his glass of red wine, signaling the waiter for a second.

"I see," Ziva said softly, exiting the table before Tony could stop her. He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and exhaling for a long time as he silently kicked himself for what he'd just said.

_Nice work,_ Tony thought, wishing he could somehow hit a "rewind" button and erase the last fifteen minutes of the evening. He wasn't sure what was bothering Ziva but he knew that whatever it was, he'd only made it worse.


	112. Things We Said Today

Title: Things We Said Today  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva and Tony make up. As only they can.

**-------------------- Things We Said Today ---------------------**

In the week that passed since Tony's unfortunate "boob job" comment, all of the following had happened:

— Baby Jack got his first super-itchy diaper rash  
— Sarah, who always sensed when Daddy made Mommy sad, would only growl at her Daddy and frown  
— Shep the Puppy chewed up Tony's most expensive pair of Italian leather dress shoes  
— McFlea, who shared Tony's cast-iron gut, got doggy sick all over The Stang's back floor  
— KittyKate hissed at Tony whenever she caught sight of him, brandishing her claws  
— McGee accidentally erased Tony's hard drive at work... before doing the same to Tony's cellphone  
— Ducky mistakenly picked up Tony's box of leftover pizza and refrigerated it in one of his morgue coolers  
— Jimmy ate Tony's morgue-cooled box of leftover pizza, thinking it was unclaimed  
— Gibbs Gibbs-slapped Tony... with hot coffee in his Gibbs-slapping hand  
— Vance laughed out loud when Tony fell after leaning back in an MTAC chair that gave way  
— Abby told Tony he was "mean mean MEAN" and banished him from her lab until he made up with Ziva  
— Tony got Baby Jack's first super-itchy diaper rash, too

But none of those things hurt Tony as much as how quiet Ziva had been since their ruined night out together. When she'd returned to the table at the restaurant, he'd apologized like crazy. Ziva had simply said it was OK, that they should forget it, she just wanted to get home to the children. Tony felt awful and he wanted to do whatever it took — buy her roses, the most expensive champagne in the place, anything — to make up for being so flip and sounding so nonchalant about Ziva's feelings. Since she was ready to call it a night, though, Tony figured he should just go along with what Ziva requested.

And so they headed home — in silence. And went to bed that night — in silence. And the remainder of the week was spent in a strange near-silent sort of way in which Tony and Ziva talked to each other without really saying anything that mattered. Once Saturday rolled around, Tony was truly miserable; he couldn't take another day of avoiding Ziva in plain sight.

Ziva sat on the living room sofa now, folding a basket of laundry, and Tony watched her as he stood in the hallway. Sarah, Jack and the dogs were spending the weekend with Abby and Tim. There wouldn't be a better chance for reconciliation and Tony knew it. But he feared approaching Ziva when she was hurt or angry or, in this case, both. Still, it was time. Summoning all his courage, Tony took a deep breath and headed for the sofa.

"Want some help?" he asked, nodding at the laundry basket with a shy smile. Ziva continued with her folding, not looking at Tony.

"I would like that," Ziva answered quietly.

Tony made his way to the sofa, taking a seat next to her. Saying nothing, he plucked one of Sarah's tiny t-shirts from the basket. Before folding it, he gave it a once-over and had to laugh. It was a gift from Gibbs from her first birthday. The little red shirt's yellow lettering read, in military block-type font, "OO-RAH!" Beneath that, in a kiddie-looking type, was the message "(Marines rock)."

"Gibbs knows our baby girl alright," Tony said, chuckling. "Can't hardly keep her outta this shirt." Tenderly folding the little garment, Tony set it beside him on the sofa. Sighing, he reached for another piece of clothing in the basket. He wanted to just come right out and tell Ziva how sorry he was for having upset her and how much he loved her. But he knew that wasn't how this sort of thing worked. Not really.

"Yes," Ziva agreed, "it is her favorite." Her dark eyes were focused on her folding.

Tony couldn't stop himself. Staring at the camisole in his lap — the one he'd bought for Ziva when he was going to ask her to marry him — his emotions got the best of him and he reached over, covering Ziva's hand with his.

"Ziva, I'm sorry," Tony whispered, his voice husky with remorse. "I am just... I'm so sorry for what I said at the restaurant last week. I didn't mean it. You know I think you're beautiful, baby." Dropping his head, Tony closed his eyes. He felt completely drained from the prior week. And terribly sad. "I love you, Z. I love everything about you and I wouldn't change a thing."

Placing her free hand over Tony's, Ziva stroked her husband's knuckles with real tenderness.

"I am the one who owes you the apology, Tony," Ziva said gently. "I know what you were trying to say and I ... well, I overacted." Shrugging, she pursed her lips and joined Tony in looking down at the floor. "I have not felt... pretty... since Jack was born. Sometimes I think you must wish you had married someone else."

"Huh? Ziva, you've only gotten MORE attractive to me since you had Jack," Tony replied, giving Ziva a confused stare as he sat up. "And there's no one else I'd ever wanna marry. Hell, no one else would ever HAVE me! And aw... honey, you didn't ... overreact." He grinned slightly, noting Ziva's minor misstatement. "The whole thing's MY stupid fault! Listen — that girl with the... the fake blonde hair and the really fake..."

"Boobs," Ziva added. "You can say it. I do not mind."

"Uh, yeah. Those things," Tony went on. "Ziva, if you think I want you ever lookin' like her, you better think again! Because heck, NO, I don't want you bleachin' that sexy black hair blonde or having some plastic surgeon pumpin' air into those perfectly sculpted..."

"Boobs," Ziva said, smirking.

"Yeah heh HEH!" Tony laughed nervously, "Those!" He fidgeted with the silky camisole in his lap, blushing and unable now to look at Ziva directly. This conversation was, oddly enough, embarrassing him. "You darn RIGHT, I don't want another guy messin' around with your... uh... with the... um... Mother Nature's..."

"With my boobs, Tony? Is that what you are trying to say?" Now Ziva was needling him, knowing Tony didn't want to utter the word. And she meant to force it out of him.

"If I say... it," Tony asked, carefully considering his words, "will you forgive me?"

"I will," Ziva promised, offering Tony a wry grin.

She watched as he primly folded her silky camisole, placing it on the sofa in a dainty manner. When he finished, Tony's green eyes met her gaze. They sparkled with mischief. Ziva raised an eyebrow at him. He smiled in response.

"IT!" Tony said, leaping off the sofa, a huge toothy grin on his face. "Ha HAH! Forgive and forget, Sweet Cheeks!"

Ziva, realizing that she'd been tricked, gritted her teeth at Tony and issued a little growl. Tossing down the towel she was about to fold, she stood and started for Tony.

"N-Now HOLD on a minute, Lamb Chop!" Tony stammered, backing up towards the hallway. "You said if I said 'it' that all was forgiven. And I said 'it' so you gotta let bygones be bygones!"

Ziva said nothing, her brown eyes smoldering, as she continued staring down Tony while walking towards him.

"Crazy... Ninja... Chick!" Tony yelped, desperately making a break for it down the hallway towards the master bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

"You can run," Ziva said, a smile on her face as she leaned against the bedroom door, "but you cannot hide, Tony. My boobs and I will be waiting right here. For you, my Little Hairy Butt."

From inside the bedroom, Ziva heard a little whimper. And for the first time in a week, she felt like everything would be just fine.


	113. Enjoy Yourself

Title: Enjoy Yourself  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: A DiNozzo family day at the park.

**-------------------- Enjoy Yourself ---------------------**

Relaxing on the quilt they'd laid out on the broad lawn at the park, Tony and Ziva watched Sarah as she held Baby Jack in her lap. They played Zoo on their own little blanket, Jack squirming in a futile effort to escape his big sister's grasp. He loved Sarah but liked to be free to try, in his way, to move around on his tummy so he could go wherever he wanted whenever he wanted.

Like Sarah, McFlea was keeping his little son Shep within close range. Anytime the puppy began to scamper off, McFlea stood up and, nipping Shep gently by the neck, hauled him back between his big black paws. Shep whined and yowled, sharing his best friend Jack's desire to play as he pleased.

The two littlest babies of Team DiNozzo pouted as they were being smothered to death with love. Finally, when Sarah planted one big kiss too many on Baby Jack's cheek, he hollered out in protest. Sarah just giggled, finding it cute. Jack sighed, realizing he couldn't win.

"Fatal error, Junior," Tony joked, smiling as he watched his son try fighting off a slew of hugs and smooches. "Screaming only means she'll give you more lovin' -- and who doesn't want more lovin'?" He winked at Ziva. "I know I'm a fan of second helpings at the smorgasbord of lovin'. You always keep my biscuits piping hot, Sweet Cheeks." Tony squinted, thinking of what he'd just said. "Damn. Now I'm hungry again," he muttered, rubbing his little gut, which growled back at him.

Ziva, who'd been lost in her own thoughts, blinked and shook her head slightly as if waking up.

"Did you say something, my love?" She lay down, reclining on her side. Covering her mouth with her hand, Ziva stifled a little yawn. "I am sorry I didn't hear you, Tony. I was out of a zone."

Tony frowned. Something sounded off.

"Zoned out," he corrected after a minute. Ziva issued a short "Hm" and then, taking one of the small pillows they'd brought along, stretched out on the blanket for a nap.

At last, Baby Jack could stand no more of his sister's hugs and kisses for the day. Letting out a yell that got every dog in the park howling, he had Tony scrambling to gather him up and quiet him down. Shep also saw an opportunity to escape McFlea's constant watch, bounding after Tony and Jack towards the blanket. Sarah and McFlea, feeling slighted by those they loved, haughtily turned away. The two of them were content to shower affection on each other. And the Zoo was always happy to be adored.

"What is WRONG with you, huh?" Tony asked Jack, who sat propped in his lap. Shep snuggled in, too. "Now listen, Jack. DiNozzo Men do NOT scream when we get kissed! Even if it's just by our sisters."

Baby Jack looked up at his daddy and frowned. "GAH!" he said in a fussy tone.

"Too much kissing?" Tony asked, sticking out his lower lip at his infant son. "Felt smothered?"

Nodding, Baby Jack shook his tiny head "yes." He looked sorry for having yelled at Sarah and, turning slightly, looked to see where his sister was.

"Aw, it's okay, buddy," Tony reassured him. "She's not mad at you. She's just excited about having a baby brother. Wants to love you all the time, that's all." Baby Jack blushed. Shep squirmed and whimpered. "And we all want to love YOU all the time, too, Fuzzball," Tony said, petting Shep behind his little ears.

"Fuzzball is _my_ pet name for you, Tony," Ziva said drowsily.

"Wrong, my half-sleeping beauty," Tony replied. "I'm your little furry mutt."

"Furry butt," Ziva corrected.

"Mutt... butt... The point is, you've never called me 'Fuzzball,' my ninja," Tony argued. "Oh, there've been other nicknames for this DiNozzo. But 'Fuzzball' wasn't one of them."

"As you wish...Fuzzball," Ziva purred, rolling over onto her other side. Her back was now turned towards Tony. Baby Jack giggled.

"Ha HAH!" Tony chided, snarling. Then he wrinkled his nose at his infant son. "And what're _you_ laughin' at? You don't even have HAIR." Baby Jack reached up and grabbed a fistful of Tony's chest hair, eliciting a yelp from his father. Tony heard Ziva snicker from where she lay.

"Our son agrees with me... Fuzzball," Ziva teased, not even turning over to see what was happening. She just knew Jack was giving Tony fits. Their baby son enjoyed seeing his daddy squirm. "Do not let him rip out all of your fuzz that I so enjoy."

"Too late," Tony, in pain, whimpered as he tried to wrench Baby Jack's tiny fist from his upper chest area. At last, he knew he'd have to play dirty with his boy, something he'd hoped to avoid. "Let go," he warned Jack, "or I'll have Sarah hug and kiss you so much you'll have smooch bruises on your cheeks, buddy."

Baby Jack's green eyes popped wide with fear. He loved his sister but he didn't want to be smothered by her smooches again. So he let Tony go, laughing as he did so. Tony narrowed his eyes at his son, grinning wryly.

"_He_ is going to be trouble," Ziva teased, turning towards Tony and Jack. Tony put Jack down and he crawled on his belly over to his mother, squeaking with glee when she took him in her arms, kissing his forehead. Shep scampered to Ziva, too, yipping as she scratched his tummy.

_"Gonna be?"_ Tony said, raising an eyebrow at Baby Jack. "Trouble's scared of HIM!" Baby Jack giggled. Tony grimaced.

Just then, Sarah and McFlea bounded over with the Zoo and flopped down beside Tony. Sarah, in her broken toddler-speak, excitedly told her daddy all about what the Zoo had seen in the park and how McFlea was the biggest aminal in the Zoo — even bigger than Tony The Tiger who was a tiger — and how Jenny Giraffe had to tell Silly Monkey that her new baby's name was Schlep the Camel and McFlea's baby was Shep the Puppy. He mixed them up because he was a SILLY Monkey. McFlea put his head in Tony's lap, content to have his father rub his fuzzy black head.

"Now _this_ sweet girl," Tony told Ziva, winking, "we don't have to worry about."

"Until a bad boy comes along," Ziva replied, giving Tony a knowing smile.

It only took Tony a few seconds, after falling back on the blanket in a sudden faint, to come to but he thought it was sweet how Sarah lay next to him, patting his forehead and saying, "Daddy be okay. He sleepy, Mommy."


	114. St Patrick's Day

Title: St. Patrick's Day  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Kiss Tony, he's Irish!

**-------------------- St. Patrick's Day ---------------------**

Although it had been a busy day in the DiNozzo household, the nursery was now silent. Sarah, Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe were sound asleep as was Baby Jack, who lay on his tummy, snoring in his crib as he clutched Schlep The Camel and his Moo. McFlea and Shep lay sprawled together in their dog bed, Silly Monkey tucked close against Shep on one side. The ever-vigilant McFlea, who took fatherhood seriously, was snuggled around his little son, his big black snoot just above Shep's small fuzzy black head.

Watching Sarah and Baby Jack sleep had made Tony and Ziva drowsy and they'd turned in early. Additionally, Tony had enjoyed a few cold beers -- one or two over his usual limit -- after dinner to celebrate "having a little Irish in him" and was feeling the effects.

He wanted Ziva. To kiss him.

"Kish me, I'm Irish," Tony slurred drunkenly, his voice thick in Ziva's ear. He nuzzled her neck with his nose.

"What you are," Ziva replied sleepily, "is drunk, Tony. Go to sleep."

"After you kish me," Tony pressed, grinning. "C'mon, Shweet Cheeksh." Pooching out his lips comically, he awaited a big embrace.

"IF you get your kiss," Ziva said, a little annoyed, "WILL you let me sleep?"

Tony smiled. His green eyes, bleary though they were, sparkled.

"Yesh," he promised. "Pucker up... baby." He hiccuped, trying to steady himself for his romantic moment.

Ziva pulled Tony against her, locking his lips with hers. She probed his tongue tenderly before breaking the kiss. Then she gently pushed Tony back over to his side of the bed. He lay back, gasping for air, fully aroused.

"Now," Ziva said firmly as she rolled over, "go to sleep, my love. Good night. Happy St. Patrick's Day."

_Damn Irish,_ Tony thought, groaning softly as he stared at the spinning ceiling.


	115. I Just Haven't Met You Yet

Title: I Just Haven't Met You Yet  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: A look into the future when Baby Jack's all grown up and...

* * *

_**Note:** These "looks into the future" don't necessarily mean things are going to happen. Not at all. But sometimes I enjoy imagining "What if?" And while I'm no fan of one character mentioned later in this story, I couldn't help wondering what if... Tony's son fell for her daughter someday? So let's have fun and just think "Hmmm..." :-)_

**-------------------- I Just Haven't Met You Yet ---------------------**

Sipping his Jamaican Mocha coffee, Jack DiNozzo indulged in one of his favorite pastimes that didn't involve the removal of clothing: People-watching.

Specifically, Jack was most closely watching those people of the female gender.

From his seat at the outside table of his favorite D.C. café, he enjoyed a panoramic view of one of Washington's busiest streets. Women strolled by him, making their way to lunch or heading off on quick errands. Jack's green eyes followed their legs as they moved down the sidewalk.

_Best seat in the house,_ he thought to himself, taking a long swig of coffee as his eyes fixed on one young woman seated on a nearby bench beneath a tree. Dressed in a prim skirt and button-down shirt with her brown hair pulled back into a severe ponytail, she looked bookish — not really Jack's type. But her legs had his full attention; he couldn't take his eyes off them. They were slim, smooth and strong. Was she a little older than he was? Looked like it. Just a few months or so — not quite a year, maybe. Did he care? No. He liked the idea of it, actually. He liked the idea of _her_.

As if sensing she were being watched, the woman looked up suddenly from the text she'd been reading and glared at Jack, her ice-blue eyes cold with anger. Jack's response was to shoot her a sexy smile and a wink, toasting her with his coffee as he raised an eyebrow at her suggestively. Slapping the book shut, she hurriedly gathered her purse and stormed off. Jack studied her form as she walked away.

_Great body,_ he judged. Slowly, he brought his coffee once more to his lips. _Cute, the way she's trying to hide it under that..._

Jack's thoughts were rudely interrupted by a cellphone call from his partner, Tom McGee.

"This better be good, McWhipped," Jack barked into the phone, fuming at having lost sight of his mystery woman. "If the little woman asked you to pick up milk, bread and eggs and you need me to swing by the store again to C-Y-A, well, the answer is a big, fat N-O 'no' and..."

"Boss wants you back in the office NOW, Jack," Tom said, ignoring his partner's insults. "I've been trying to cover for you but she's starting to ask where you are and I don't think 'girl-watching' qualifies as the kind of answer she'll accept without question."

"Have you tried?" Jack drained the rest of his coffee. The mystery woman was gone and Jack felt strangely depressed at the thought of probably never seeing her again.

"That supposed to be funny, DiNozzo?" Jack's boss, Special Agent Susan Palmer, had taken the phone from Tom. She wasn't in the mood for jokes. Just as she wasn't ever in the mood for dirt. The Bullpen had to be kept spotlessly clean.

"On my way in now, Boss," Jack stammered, rushing to leave enough cash to pay for his coffee and tip. "Getting in some... uh... field surveillance and I was just..."

The phone clicked off and Jack sighed. He was in a fix with Palmer again. Tom was the clean-cut "perfect" agent and Jack, like his old man had been before him, was known as NCIS' resident troublemaker.

Those were the thoughts distracting him as he ran across the busy street, barely noticing that the "WALK" signal had changed. White lights had turned red.

He never saw the taxi hurtling around the corner. It, too, was in a hurry.

* * *

Once Jack awoke, the first thing he noticed was the bright light beaming right into his eye. He blinked against it, squinting. His head throbbed, aching as if a thousand-pound elephant were sitting on his forehead and he groaned, the pain hitting him as he regained full consciousness.

When the bright light shut off, Jack noticed the person behind it — the doctor who'd been examining him.

The skirt and shirt ensemble she'd been wearing earlier were now replaced by blue scrubs and a short white lab coat. The icy blue eyes that had glared at Jack now viewed him with real concern. She asked him a few questions about where he was, did he remember his name, what did he do for a living. He answered them, joking that he knew she really hadn't been that mad at him before. Before? she asked. Remind me about before, she pressed, pushing back her light brown hair from her face; the harsh ponytail was gone. Jack recounted the scene at lunchtime, his green eyes sparkling as he did so. The doctor couldn't help but smile. She was glad he remembered; it meant his concussion might not be as serious as she'd initially feared. He told her there was no way he could forget her. No taxi running me down could get you outta my head, Jack told his doctor. Now she blushed, nervously studying her write-up on him.

They'd be keeping him overnight, the doctor told Jack. For observation.

Would she be the one doing the observing? Jack asked, a grin playing at his lips. The doctor blushed again, trying not to smile herself. But Jack knew she enjoyed his attention. The flirting wasn't one-sided; she was doing her share, too.

Perhaps, she replied. Maybe she'd come check on him when she got off later.

He'd love to see her, Jack said, when she got off. Later.

You're getting better, Mr. DiNozzo, the doctor said with a sexy smile as she started to leave.

Yeah, well... Wait'll you see me at my best, Jack answered, winking.

* * *

By the time the doctor ended her shift and headed up to Jack's room as she'd promised, he was already sound asleep. But she looked in on him anyway and, carefully so as not to wake him, touched his hand. When the EMTs had brought him in that afternoon, bleeding and unconscious, she'd recognized him immediately as the handsome man who'd been watching her at the café. She'd hoped she might run into him again somehow but not like this.

_DiNozzo,_ she thought. Sighing, she took a seat by his bed and studied his face. He looked just like his father had when he was younger. She'd seen an old photo of Tony DiNozzo with his wife and children that had been sent to her mother. Her parents and the DiNozzos were friendly from years gone by and the two couples sent each other occasional postcards and photos, always promising to visit sometime soon but never quite getting around to it. Now she was treating the boy she'd seen in all those photos. He'd grown into a devastatingly handsome and charming man. _Just like my mother said his father was,_ the young doctor thought to herself. But her mother and her patient's father weren't meant to be together. Her Mamá fell head over heels for her Papá and had never looked back. And Tony DiNozzo had done the same with his wife. Separately, they had each found their true soulmates.

Closing her eyes just for a minute after her long, stressful day, the doctor wondered what real love must feel like. She'd never known. All the highbrow men in medical school who were interested in her only because of her father's fame as a doctor... It's why she'd started using her mother's maiden name. She only wanted respect for her own work, not flattery for her medical pedigree. But her principles left her often alone with that work — and lonely. She hadn't been prepared for what had happened earlier, when she looked up to see Jack's eyes fixed on her. Men didn't look at her... _that_ way. She'd worked to look plain so that she'd go unnoticed. So why had _he_ keyed in on her? How was _he_ able to see through her disguise? She was interested. Could she trust him? Jack looked like a man who knew women — many women — and enjoyed knowing them... in every sense of the word. She wanted only one man in her life. Maybe he was the one. She'd like to find out, but...

Opening her eyes to take one last look at Jack before she left the hospital for the night, she found him staring solemnly at her. Stroking his hand, she introduced herself — Dr. Gabrielle Benoit — and tenderly reassured Jack that she would take good care of him. He grinned and replied that he knew she would. And not just there in the hospital. Could she begin seeing him on an... outpatient basis? I'm a sick, sick man, Doc, Jack said with a wink. Then he gave her that look again, the one that searched her soul. Something told her that despite all the joking around, Jack was trying to send her a serious message. His thumb caressed her palm. _He wants me,_ she realized. _Would you love me?_ she wondered, gazing into his eyes.

She had to laugh before telling him that he was right about being sick. And that perhaps she'd make a house call sometime. He promised to be a good patient if she would.


	116. I Gotta Feeling

Title: I Gotta Feeling  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva's finally ready to... well, you know.

**-------------------- I Gotta Feeling ---------------------**

Sarah and Baby Jack were sleeping soundly in the nursery, along with McFlea and Shep. The family had spent the day at their favorite place — the neighborhood park — and now Ziva lay in bed reading as Tony showered. Hearing him sing a medley of old Sinatra tunes punctuated by intermittent gargling, she grinned and rolled her eyes. Her husband was a silly moose, indeed.

At last, Tony emerged from his long, hot shower, entering the bedroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Ziva's dark eyes roamed the length of his body, taking in the scenery. She liked everything she saw.

"What'cha readin'?" Tony asked playfully. He started to open his underwear drawer. Ziva's eyes flashed on the towel hanging loosely now about his hips.

"It is a ... bitch read," she replied. Tony grimaced. Stepping away from the drawer, he came to the bed, took a look at the hot pink cover of the paperback and snickered.

"Beach read," he corrected. "But I like your description better, Sweet Cheeks." Ziva watched as he moved back towards the dresser.

"Stop!" she called out suddenly. Tony froze. Slowly, he turned back towards his wife.

"What?" he asked. His green eyes wide with surprise, he raised an eyebrow and glanced down at his back. "There a 'Kick Me' sign back there or something?"

"Do not open that drawer." Ziva's tone was deadly serious. Now Tony was concerned — sort of.

"There a bomb in there? Should we evacuate the kids? God, I hate waking up McFlea from a dead sleep. That dog turns Cujo and..." Tony rambled, letting his craziest thoughts run wild. What was the big deal about his underwear drawer?

Ziva's expression was flat, unimpressed with his jokes.

"Remove the towel," she ordered in a sultry voice. Tony looked down at his chest and stomach, then back up at Ziva. Now a broad smile crossed his face. "I will not ask you again." Ziva's lips curled into a sexy little grin.

Tony took his time moving back towards the bed. Bossy tonight, wasn't she?

Standing at the edge of his side of the bed, he felt as if he should assert his authority as man of the house.

"YOU do it," he said huskily to Ziva, licking his teeth with his tongue. His green eyes danced as he gazed down at her.

She smirked up at him for a few seconds, raising an eyebrow.

"As you wish, my little furry mutt," Ziva purred, tossing the pink paperback over her shoulder as Tony's towel dropped to the bedroom floor.


	117. Soul Meets Body

Title: Soul Meets Body  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: M  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva reconnect.

**-------------------- Soul Meets Body ---------------------**

He'd missed her.

It didn't matter that she'd been sleeping right next to him for the three months since they'd brought Jack home from the hospital and even though they'd spent plenty of nights kissing and touching, enjoying some "alone time" together, it hadn't really been the same.

Tony missed making love to Ziva.

But now, as she tugged the bath towel free from his waist and it dropped to the floor, he realized this would finally be the night.

"Come to me, Tony," Ziva whispered, rubbing his stomach gently as he stood uncertainly by the bed.

Tony obeyed, slowly reclining across the bed, propping himself up on one elbow to gaze at Ziva as she moved to face him, turning her body to meet his. He reached out to push back her dark, curly hair, his green eyes devouring every inch of her.

"I missed you, Ziva," Tony said huskily, his voice raw with emotion. "I missed... this."

"So have I," she replied, stroking his chest hair.

Slowly, they leaned in to kiss, Tony taking Ziva in his arms as he pulled her down on top of him. She responded immediately, wrapping herself around him, her strong legs straddling his hips. Tony took in a sharp breath, the feel of her skin against his almost more than he could handle.

"I love you," Ziva said breathily, pressing her lips against Tony's. Pulling her into a heated kiss, his tongue hungrily searched hers.

"I love you, too," Tony gasped, caressing Ziva's neck with his tongue. She moaned under his touch.

Now he gently rolled her onto her back, again propping himself on his elbow so that he could caress her breasts with his free hand, arousing Ziva so that she closed her eyes, groaning Tony's name. Hearing this, Tony grinned devilishly. He knew exactly how to please her, break down all her defenses. Tony loved that Ziva was a strong woman but sometimes, when they were intimately alone, he savored the moments in which she gave herself to him completely, trusting not just her body but also her soul to him.

This was when he knew they were truly partners in every sense of the word.

"Tony..." Ziva now looked up at him, her brown eyes gentle and full of love. "Please..."

Biting his lip as she took him, Tony felt a surge of emotion as he and Ziva moved together slowly. It had been so long. The last time they'd felt such an all-consuming need for each other as this, she'd gotten pregnant with Jack, Tony thought briefly. He felt dizzy with desire now as Ziva clutched his back, murmuring Hebrew as he stroked her within.

Just when he'd settled on an easy rhythm, Ziva took control, surprising Tony with her strength as she flipped him onto his back and straddled him, tossing back her hair. She studied him from above, smirking as she sped their lovemaking along, bringing them both to an intoxicating climax that left them exhausted from the effort.

Much later, as they lay dozing in each others' arms, a small sound roused them. Tony yawned, stretching, as he rose from the bed. Ziva watched as he made his way to his dresser, opened a drawer and slipped into his boxer shorts. She lay back, listening to her husband lovingly quiet their newborn son's cries from across the hall as he reassured their toddler daughter that her brother was okay.

And Ziva knew that this night was truly perfect in every way.


	118. What Do You Want From Me

Title: What Do You Want From Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Tim have a man-to-man talk.

**-------------------- What Do You Want From Me ---------------------**

"So? How's life as Mister Sciuto, McWhipped?" Tony took a long pull from his beer, eyeing Tim mischievously. McGee's attention was fixed on the '66 Mustang's engine, which never seemed to be completely satisfactory to Tony. There was nothing McGee could see wrong; he thought it was a waste of time to tinker with something that didn't need repairing.

"Great, Tony," Tim said absentmindedly, wiping oil from his hands with a shop rag. "Remind me why we're fixing something that isn't broken?"

"Because we're MEN, McGoodwrench! MEN tinker with cars on a Saturday afternoon — _especially_ when they don't need to be fixed! Been happening since the beginning of _time_, Probie. Or... since... the beginning of... cars." Tony grimaced and took a quick swig of beer.

"Yeah, well, I can think of better ways to spend my weekends." Tim tossed the dirty rag into an old laundry bin. Opening the refrigerator, he yanked a beer out, opened it and took a lengthy gulp.

"Missing the little Goth girl already, eh? Can't keep away, huh? Heh heh heh..." Tony licked his teeth with his tongue, snickering at McGee. "Better clean up before you hit those 500-count black satin sheets, McStudmuffin. Quaker State isn't the aphrodisiac you'd think it is with the chicks." He sniffed, frowning. "Makes 'em mad, having to clean it off the bed linens... afterwards."

"Don't you EVER shut up, Tony?!!!" McGee snapped, scowling at Tony. He downed most of his beer in one angry pull.

Tony, taken aback at Tim's reaction to what had been their usual good-natured ribbing, looked down and began playing with the label on his beer bottle. Tim, realizing that he'd lost his temper over nothing, sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry," Tim said quietly. "Tony, I didn't mean that. I just..." He sighed again. "You don't understand. How it is between Abby and me."

"How... is it between Abby and you?" Tony asked, really wanting to know. He was concerned about his friend.

"There's nothing between us," Tim replied.

"That's good," Tony said, grinning. "Isn't it? Nothing between you. If you know what I mean?" He smiled, trying to coax a grin out of Tim. But he got a morose look instead.

"It's not that kind of nothing, Tony. I mean there's NOTHING going on. Between Abby and me. We're just... roommates." Tim finished his beer, hurling it into the recycling bin.

"Ohhhh... The REAL nothing 'nothing.' Sorry to hear that, McGee. I thought you guys were back together. In the REAL 'together' together sense." Tony shrugged, offering Tim a sympathetic look.

"The thing is, I think she wants us to get back together," Tim said, furrowing his brow as he tried making sense of things. "But she acts like we're just buddies. I've tried dropping hints here and there... Abby just acts like she doesn't notice. Maybe she doesn't."

"She does," Tony said. "This is Abby we're talking about, Tim. Nothing gets by her." Tony sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "We're gonna have to out-think her. And you know what that means."

"Lots of planning? Wearing black clothes? Oh, God, are we going to start listening to techno?" Tim looked forlorn. To him, the situation seemed hopeless.

"No, McLoveless, it means we're gonna need more BEER!" Tony said, frowning at his friend. "One problem at a time, Probie."


	119. Move Slow

Title: Move Slow  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva disagree about Abby and Tim's problem.

**-------------------- Move Slow ---------------------**

"Well, no WONDER it's a virtual doin' it _desert_ next door at McGoth Manor!" Tony complained, nearly dropping the dinner dish he'd been drying. "I tell Probie to kick it into high gear with Abs and YOU tell her to put it in neutral!" Shaking his head in disbelief, Tony snorted. "Chicks..."

Ziva folded her arms, narrowing her eyes at her husband. Baby Jack and Sarah studied their parents as if they were watching a tennis match, their eyes going back and forth as the conversation switched. Both suckled on their bottles, all ears. Baby Jack looked to his big sister as if to ask _"What's going on?"_ Sarah simply shrugged and helped Jack Jack pick up his bottle, which had tipped over onto his high chair tray. He popped it back into his little mouth, eyes fixed on his father. Sarah was interested in what her mother was about to say. McFlea and Shep lay curled together under the dinner table, hiding lest any dishes go flying.

"Since WHEN does MahGee listen to YOU?" Ziva wanted to know. Tony snarled at her. "Abby asked for my opinion about dating Tim again. She is not sure if they should re-light the furnace."

Tony, Sarah and even Baby Jack all frowned, hearing this. McFlea's ears went up and little Shep let out a confused whine.

"The _fire_, Ziva," Tony corrected, placing the dinner dish in a safe place. "People re-light the _fire_ between them, not a furnace." Ziva looked frustrated.

"The fire, the furnace... whatever!" Ziva, frustrated at having gotten another turn of phrase wrong, muttered to herself, "I was sure I had _hammered_ that one this time..."

_Nailed,_ Tony started to say but stopped himself.

"Look, we want the same thing, right? McHorny and Abby to have a happy-ever-after ending and produce lots of little Probe-sters and Probettes that OUR kids can push around. So we gotta present a united _front_ here, Sweet Cheeks. We gotta tell McDrySpell and Abs to..."

"... speed things up!" Tony said, at the exact same time that Ziva countered with "...take it slow!"

Furrowing their brows at each other, Tony and Ziva shot dirty looks back and forth. Each was peeved that the other wouldn't budge from their position on the subject of Tim and Abby.

Tony, predictably, was first to break. He could never out-stare Ziva, something that annoyed him to no end. With a little growl, he snarled as he dropped his eyes. Ziva smirked, secure in the knowledge that her staredown record remained perfect where Tony was concerned. Tony, glowering, stuck out his lower lip like a pouty child and hoisted Baby Jack from his high chair.

"Excuse me, love of my LIFE," Tony hissed, looking more like a baby than Jack just then, "but SOMEBODY needs a change!" With that, he turned and haughtily stalked off down the hallway towards the nursery. Ziva took a seat at the dining table by Sarah, who giggled as she watched Tony and Jack Jack walk away.

"THAT would be YOU — and please start with your ATTITUDE!" Ziva called from the kitchen. Now Sarah couldn't stop laughing. Ziva lifted her palm straight up so that Sarah could touch it. "Give your Mommy a top-five." Sarah looked at her mother curiously, giggled again, and pressed her palm to Ziva's.

In the nursery, Tony stated his case to Baby Jack.

"See, buddy, the thing is... women _always_ wanna take things slow — wait it out to see if we're gonna commit." Baby Jack squirmed and kicked as Tony cleaned him. "But you know why that doesn't make sense? Because how's a guy gonna commit if he doesn't know what he's committing TO?"

Jack looked up studiously at his father while Tony continued his speech.

"Take your old man, for instance. Before your mommy and I got together, I... uh... I dated a lot of women." Jack frowned. Tony cleaned his son once again for good measure. "Had to, Jack. You gotta... uh... _kiss_... a lot of hot chicks before you find the Sweet Cheeks of your dreams, son. Oh, it's _hard_ work. Backbreaking, sometimes. Wears you out. Takes all the energy you've got some nights. Couldn't hardly get out of bed some mornings." Jack hollered, clearly unhappy with Tony's chatter. Tony grimaced; Jack had a real set of lungs and when he screamed at full throttle, the sound echoed through every nerve in Tony's body.

"Okay! Okay!" Tony said, desperate to quiet Jack, who now kicked angrily. "Sorry, buddy. Listen, I didn't say all those chicks made me HAPPY, did I? Noooooooooo! They did NOT!" Baby Jack stopped fussing, intently listening to his father again. Tony placed a new diaper under Jack, powdering his son against wetness. "Lemme tell you, Jack, I was one SAD case before your mom came along. Never knew what it was to _really_ be in love. Thought I'd never BE in love. Or get married. Or have babies. Never imagined I'd be happy." Baby Jack sighed, feeling much better, but he still wasn't smiling. Tony secured Jack's diaper and began rifling through a drawer for a soft onesie. At last, he plucked out Jack's favorite — a blue set of footie pajamas with a smiling lion on the upper left chest. Seeing it, Jack grinned and giggled.

"Yeah, that all changed when I finally got my head screwed on straight. See, your mommy had been right there all along while I was acting stupid with all those girls and it took me forever to see that she was the right woman for me." Tony helped Jack into the cozy onesie. "But that day when it hit me that I was in love with your mom... ohhhhhh... THAT was the greatest day of my life, Jack Jack. Well, _one_ of 'em. Besides marrying your mom. And us having Sarah and you." McFlea and Shep padded into the nursery to watch the proceedings. Tony winked at his dogs. "And the _McMutts_ joining the family." McFlea yapped happily; Shep wagged his tiny tail.

With Jack dressed, Tony cradled his baby son in his arms. Jack patted his daddy's chest and they looked solemnly into each others' green eyes, foreheads touching.

"So the BIG lesson here, Jack, is that all of _my_ greatest days started happening when I fell in love with YOUR mommy. And that didn't happen right away. Love takes time and..."

Tony stopped, realizing what he'd said. Baby Jack hugged his daddy's neck as the two made their way out of the nursery with McFlea and Shep on their heels. They found Ziva and Sarah on the floor in the living room, drawing on a sketch pad with big crayons. Taking a seat beside his girls, Tony sat Jack in his lap and offered Ziva a conciliatory little grin. Her brown eyes studied him tenderly.

"You're right," Tony said softly. "Abby and Tim should take it slow. Why rush a good thing?" Blushing, he continued, "Took us a while to figure out that we were made for each other, huh?"

"It took us a long time to admit it, anyway," Ziva replied, reaching out to tweak Baby Jack's nose. Sarah stopped her drawing and, getting up, toddled over to give her baby brother a big hug and kiss. She loved it when he was in clean pajamas and smelled good. Jack clapped his hands, thrilled to be the object of his sister's affection. Sometimes he hollered when Sarah got too huggy and kissy but tonight he was happy to be loved.

"Too long," Tony said in a near-whisper. "Wish I'd hurried up when it came to you, Ziva." And he did. He hated thinking that he'd missed out on precious time with Ziva because he couldn't admit his feelings for her.

"We are right on schedule, Tony," Ziva answered, sitting up. She leaned over then, her lips meeting Tony's in a soft, tender kiss that lingered ever so slightly, suggesting to both that the night was only just beginning and there was no need to rush along anything that might happen right then or, perhaps, later.


	120. Peek A Boo

Title: Peek-A-Boo  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony stumbles onto something, um, freaky.

**-------------------- Peek-A-Boo ---------------------**

"Damn cat," Tony snapped. "She doesn't LIVE here anymore!"

Lying on his stomach, Tony fought to stay awake as Ziva massaged his shoulders. Scowling, he lifted his head in order to look out the bedroom window. Somewhere outside, KittyKate yowled, expecting to be let into her "other" house.

"Re-_lax_, my little furry mutt," Ziva said, moving from where she'd been straddling Tony's back. "I will let her in so that YOU do not have to move." Tony growled deep in his throat, frustrated that his massage session had been interrupted.

"Couldn't move right now if I _wanted_ to," Tony mumbled to himself sleepily. "And how'd she get out, anyway? Can't McVirgin keep a _lock_ on that door?"

KittyKate sauntered into the bedroom, hopping up onto the bed. She stepped onto Tony's back, traipsing back and forth up and down the length of his spine. Tony, his eyes closed, groaned with pleasure.

"Ohhhhh BABY!" he moaned, smiling broadly. "Yeah heh HEH! Ahhhhhh ha ha HAAAAH... That is sooooooo..."

"Tony, that is the cat," Ziva said flatly, smirking down at her husband from where she stood in front of him. She was enjoying the little scene.

Tony opened one eye, raising an eyebrow as he looked up at Ziva and wrinkled his nose.

"Damn _cat_," Tony snarled.

After a while, Tony tired of KittyKate interrupting he and Ziva as they tried to make love. So, pulling on his boxer shorts, he scooped up KittyKate and stalked out of his house, angrily heading towards Tim and Abby's place next door.

"Little KILLJOY," Tony groused at KittyKate as they neared Abby's bedroom window. "Now she'll be snoring like a drunken sailor when I get back and there'll be no lovin' tonight for _Daddy_. And Daddy NEEDED lovin'." Tony lifted KittyKate so she was face to face with him. "Daddy LIKEY the lovin', you hear? Daddy..."

He stopped his speech short, hearing banging noises coming from Abby's bedroom. Looking around to see if anyone outside might be watching him, Tony tiptoed up to the window.

What he saw shocked him. Dropping KittyKate, he stood — too stunned to move for a few seconds — before bolting back for the relative safety of his own home at top speed. Racing into the bedroom, Tony slammed the door behind him, locking it shut, before jumping into bed and hiding under the covers. Ziva awoke at the sound of the slamming door with a start.

"Wha? Tony!" Ziva whispered, frowning. "Stop slamming things! You will wake up the babies. Worse, you will wake up MacFlea!"

"The horror..." Tony whimpered, trembling beneath the covers. "The _horror_..."

Ziva pulled the covers over her head, joining Tony in his hiding place.

"What is the matter?" she asked in a loud whisper.

"Abby... Probie... blackberry syrup... pancakes..." Tony grabbed Ziva, hiding his face in her shoulder. "I can never eat breakfast again." He let out a little sob.

"I do not understand," Ziva replied, tossing the covers off both of them. Tony yelped, trying to recover himself. Ziva Gibbs-slapped him, trying to bring him back to his senses. He sat up, staring blankly into the darkness.

"Stephen King himself couldn't have written such a nightmarish scene," Tony said, his voice trembling. "Well, maybe he could have. Before that remake of 'The Shining' he insisted on having made because he hated Kubrick's version. Which was a masterpiece of cinema. Kubrick's version — not King's. King's sucked." Ziva raised her hand as if to Gibbs-slap Tony again but he righted himself and continued, now on topic. "Ohhhh, Ziva... I saw it. I saw it ALL. And it? Was HORRIBLE. I'm scarred for life now. Never be the same. Tell the kids about the man I was, will you? When I was still an _innocent_ man..."

"You have _never_ been innocent, Tony," Ziva countered. "Now WHAT did you see?"

"McGoo's sweaty naked McASS, that's what," Tony answered, his green eyes wide with terror. "He was eating pancakes off Abby's..."

"THAT will do!" Ziva interrupted, not wanting to hear any more.

"...Victorian-era china," Tony finished. "She was lapping up the blackberry syrup and her tongue stud was catching the moonlight. Probie GIGGLED, Sweet Cheeks!" Tony's voice cracked. "GIGGLED, I tell you!"

"So they finally had sex?" Ziva surmised. "Good for them."

"You don't even want to know what she was doing to him with that riding crop of hers," Tony whispered. "No way that's legal. In any state."

"Tony," Ziva said, turning over to go back to sleep.

"I _fear_ the riding crop," Tony replied, still in his own world. "And _pancakes_ now."

"Go let KittyKate back in. She is out on the porch." With that, she sighed and settled down for the night with a smile.

Tony shivered as he got up, unlocked the door and made his way to the living room. Quaking with fear, he slowly opened the front door to find KittyKate sitting primly before him.

With Abby's riding crop in front of her.

A cold chill shot through Tony's body as he scooped up KittyKate, nervously eyeing the riding crop. He quickly shut the door, leaving the object out on the porch.

But after a few seconds, the front door opened again and a man's hand reached out. It picked up the riding crop. A thoughtful little "hmmm" sound could be heard just before the door closed yet again, this time for good.


	121. The Thunder Rolls

Title: The Thunder Rolls  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Sometimes a little girl just needs her daddy.

**-------------------- The Thunder Rolls ---------------------**

First came the white light, then the sound like splitting sky just before a huge boom.

What woke him, though, was his baby girl's sobbing.

Thunderstorms never frightened Tony and they rarely disturbed Ziva from a dead slumber. Baby Jack, like his mother, appeared ignorant of them, snoozing away as lightning danced across the night sky and accompanying thunder claps echoed throughout the air. Strangely enough, McFlea and Shep enjoyed storms; they simply snuggled closer together and let the sounds of a stirred-up atmosphere further lull them to sleep.

But Sarah feared such storms. She was a tough little trooper, unafraid of most other things babies her age still found frightening. And yet thunder and lightning terrified Tony's little girl. So he went to her when the storms blew through.

"It's okay, Snugglepumpkin," Tony whispered as he nestled into the bed next to his baby girl. "Daddy's right here."

Sarah continued sobbing as Tony took her in his arms, shielding her from the nursery's window. A flash of lightning lit up the outside; Sarah let out a little cry.

"We're just fine, Baby Tiger," Tony cooed tenderly in Sarah's tiny ear. "That's just old Mother Nature. Sometimes she can't sleep and she needs to turn on her nightlight so she doesn't bump into all the trees she helped plant. That's all that is. And when the light goes out, she bumps into a tree anyway and that's when you hear the big boom. She can't help it, Snugglepumpkin. She just wants to find her warm bed, too."

A little rumble of thunder briefly shook the window pane. Sarah let out a ragged sigh, but stopped crying. Worn out from being upset and from not getting her usual amount of sleep, she yawned mightily. Tony smiled, knowing his girl would soon drift off.

"See? She's probably getting into bed right now. I bet she's sleepy like a little tiger I know. So let's just lie here and close our eyes and dream about tigers and giraffes and lions and monkeys..." Tony yawned, too, watching Sarah's eyelids flutter. She was nearly asleep.

Closing his own eyes, Tony soon fell back into a deep, peaceful sleep, his arm protectively around his baby girl. As the thunderstorms rolled on past their little house, a soft silence reclaimed the nursery. All was calm once again. And tomorrow, there would be sunshine and only the whistling winds laughing as they tickled the tree leaves while Sarah and her daddy played in the back yard that Mother Nature, in a restful moment, had helped create just for them.


	122. That Smell

Title: That Smell  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony defends the honor of his masculine 'bouquet.'

**-------------------- That Smell ---------------------**

"WHAT is that horrible SMELL?" Ziva asked, wrinkling her nose as a whiff of something awful passed by her. As if on cue, Tony strolled by, sweaty from having just finished mowing the lawn. He grinned boyishly at her.

"Horrible?" Tony mocked, "That's the pure scent of the American MALE, my spring robin. Or should I say, my stinging wasp? Because you wound me deeply with your insults, Ziva." He pulled off his sweat-soaked t-shirt and Ziva gagged. Tony flexed his "muscles" in a Charles Atlas-type stance. "Ahhhh... The sweat of manliness, Sweet Cheeks. Drink it in deeply. Appreciate its bouquet as you would a fine wine."

"_Nobody_ will ever bottle _that_ stench, Tony," Ziva shot back, fanning the air in front of her face. "Please take your ... _bouquet_ inside to the shower. You are scaring the dogs."

"Scaring the dogs?!!!" Tony laughed. "Ha hah HAH! The only time those McMutts use their canine sense of sniff is when there's a roast in the oven!" Tony looked across the yard to where McFlea and Shep played, roughhousing as they pretend-fought over a chew bone. "McFLEA!" Tony barked. "Front and center!"

McFlea's ears went up, his tongue hung out the side of his mouth and he slowly padded over to Tony. Little Shep followed his father. Both seemed unhappy at having their game interrupted. As they approached Tony and Ziva, they both slowed. Neither seemed to want to get near Tony, who knelt down, beckoning them to come close. Ziva smirked, knowing exactly what was happening.

"Here, boy," Tony said to McFlea, who cowered at a short distance away. Shep yowled, rushing to hide behind Ziva. "McFLEA! I said COME HERE! What the hell's WRONG with you?" McFlea put his head down and joined Shep, lying down behind Ziva for safety. "Damn dog," Tony groused. "You always come when it's time to put on the FEEDBAG!"

"Well, YOU do not smell like a roast, my little... _sweaty_ mutt. And _yours_ is one scent they do not wish to continue picking UP!" Ziva countered, defending the dogs. "Do not blame THEM for having more sense than you. Now GO TAKE A SHOWER." Again, she frowned at Tony, indicating just how terrible he smelled. He snarled back at her.

"_Cavemen_ didn't shower," Tony hissed, narrowing his green eyes at Ziva as he stalked towards the house. "And cavewomen didn't exactly kick them outta the bed." Ziva rolled her eyes. "Lots of little cavebabies got popped out and smelly cavemen sired 'em all."

When Tony stepped onto the porch, he found Sarah and Baby Jack playing Zoo. Kneeling down, Tony smiled at his children and tousled the reddish-brown hair Jack was sprouting.

"Speaking of cavebabies," he said tenderly, "I know two little woolly mammoths who owe their cavedaddy a big hug for fixing their swing-set! Bring it in, Snugglepumpkin." Tony opened his arms, reaching out for Sarah in a wide embrace. But she made a "yuck" face and pulled Jenny Giraffe close to her.

"You too _stinky_, Daddy," Sarah said, wrinkling her little nose at Tony. "You go take bath, OK?"

Tony frowned. Even his baby girl was giving him grief.

"So Daddy's _stinky_, huh?" Tony asked, curling his lip in a sneer as he looked in Ziva's direction. "That's okay. My man Jack will understand, won't ya, buddy? It's a _guy_ thing, Sarah. You and Mommy wouldn't understand, _would_ they, Jack Jack?" Tony picked Jack up and started to cradle his son to his bare, sweaty chest. Jack suddenly let out a holler so loud that the front window trembled in its frame and the neighborhood dogs began to howl. McFlea and Shep, already immune to Jack's inhuman hollering, simply looked up from where they lay gnawing on either end of their chew-bone and then went back to their gnawing. Sarah covered her ears. Ziva, who'd been spading in her garden, started looking for the spade that she'd thrown halfway across the yard when Jack yelled. She shot Tony a dirty look before yelling "ARE you quite satisfied?" Jack glared at his father as he struggled to escape Tony's grasp. He, too, wrinkled his nose and made little "Gak" sounds.

"Nobody in this house appreciates the scent of a good, hard day's work," Tony sniffed as he rose to his feet and went into the house.

Alone in the bathroom, as he prepared to enter the shower, Tony took a quick whiff of his armpits and retched at the odor.

"Then again, there's something to be said for the heady aroma of lavender body wash, too," he noted, stepping into the steaming shower.


	123. I'm Your Man

Title: I'm Your Man  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: That's right, Ziva. He's ALL yours.

**-------------------- I'm Your Man ---------------------**

As Tony lay in a deep sleep beside her, Ziva thought of all the times that day she'd seriously considered killing her husband but hadn't.

And she was glad that she'd let Tony live. After all, he was a wonderful father, the dogs adored him and, well, she couldn't kill him because she loved him too much. Sighing, Ziva looked over at her snoozing husband. Tony, who was sleeping on his stomach, let out a little snort, smacked his lips, mumbled something barely comprehensible about "beets... beets and FIGWUMPS!," frowned, moaned and then sniffed before muttering "No FIGWUMPS, Swee Chee..."

Ziva didn't know what 'figwumps' were and why Tony was scolding her about them in his dreams. Maybe it had something to do with the first time she'd wanted to kill him, early that morning...

_She'd been sleeping soundly when screams from the smoke alarm woke her. McFlea and Shep howled and barked as Sarah and Baby Jack both wailed pitifully. When Ziva raced from the bedroom, coughing as a horrible smell wafted down the hallway, she found everyone in a smoke-filled kitchen. Tony, who was spraying the contents of a fire extinguisher at a pan of something black and flaming on the stove, whirled around, gave Ziva a look of terror followed by a nervous smile and said, "Morning, Sweet Cheeks! I was just... uh... burning breakfast."_

Or perhaps he was remembering how the family trip to the grocery store had turned into a disaster later that afternoon. Ziva came close to murder yet again...

_Baby Jack patted his hands on the shopping cart handle. He loved riding along while his mother selected her groceries. And Ziva delighted in asking his opinion on what she should buy. When he approved, he pounded his little fists with glee. If he didn't like something, he frowned, sticking out his lower lip, before making a fussy "Gah" sound. Either way, Ziva's boy wasn't shy about expressing his opinions. Sarah, who was quite serious about her job of keeping her Daddy from getting into trouble when the family went shopping, had gone with Tony to gather some items on the opposite side of the store. Tony fussed about not needing a chaperone but when Ziva reminded him that he'd just been allowed back into Federal Foods after completing a four-month probationary period since he'd been banned for riding the shopping cart into a spaghetti sauce jar display, Tony took Sarah's hand without argument and let his baby girl lead him to the soup aisle. Everything had been calm and quiet as Ziva and Baby Jack shopped... and then Ziva heard the loud crash at the other end of the store. Next, Tony came running towards her, Sarah in his arms, looking panicked. "Grab the baby, Sweet Cheeks! We gotta hit the bricks! Damn SOUP can pyramid! Who KNEW you can't take 'em out from the bottom?!!! I'm a bargain shopper, not a physics genius! Run! RUN!!!"_

Ziva now cut her eyes over at Tony, who was giggling in his sleep. "Swee Chee..." he murmured playfully. Then Tony frowned. "Mmmph... nuh... nuh FIGWUMPS!" Apparently angered at the Ziva of his dreams, he snarled, drooling on his pillow, and rolled over onto his back. Smacking his lips again, he growled "Figwumps..." and gnashed his teeth.

Feeling the sudden desire to kill again, Ziva forced herself to remember why she hadn't offed Tony the third time that day when she'd had the chance. She'd really had to work to suppress the Mossad assassin in her from taking over and ending the earthly days of the love of her life. But, really, who could have blamed her? Tony couldn't possibly have thought his after-dinner idea had been a good one...

_It was rare now for Ziva to find time to lay on the sofa and lose herself in a good book but Tony had insisted that she do just that after dinner. "Baths are on ME tonight," he'd said cheerfully as he cleared the dishes from the table. "Kids AND dogs!" Ziva felt as if she really should help but Tony wouldn't hear of it. "YOUR job, my flower, is to park it on that couch and turn the pages of that new romance book you bought today at the supermarket. You know, the other supermarket. The one we didn't get kicked out of." Then, raising an eyebrow suggestively at her, Tony had added, "Maybe that book'll give you some, uh... ideas. For later. Heh heh heh..." With that, he'd fluffed a pillow, placed it behind her head and handed her the paperback — "Desert Deflowering" — which told the story of a young British noblewoman kidnapped and taken to an Arabian sultan's harem in the 1600s. Of course, the sultan and the noblewoman bickered when she refused to abide by "normal" harem rules and the tension between them grew until... well, Ziva would have to delve deeply into this fine work of fiction to learn how the saga ended. Tony had finished the book in less than an hour out in the garage, claiming it was "great stuff... genius... totally hot... you should just skip to page 147 and start reading at the third paragraph down, my ninja... I needed two cold showers just to make it to page 148!" So while Ziva lost herself in the ancient world of the sultan and his unwilling lover, Tony was feverishly working to bathe two babies and a pair of dogs who'd spent the day digging for bones that didn't exist in the backyard. After Ziva wiped the sweat from her brow when she'd worked her way through page 147, she needed a drink of water to get through page 148. As she headed to the kitchen, she decided to pop into the bathroom and sneak a peek at Tony giving Sarah her bath; it was always a tender sight to see. But what greeted Ziva when she opened the door was the spectre of Sarah, Baby Jack, McFlea and Shep all crowded into the tub together, covered in bubbles, shrieking with joy as a soaking-wet Tony tried to corral them so he could give each some kind of washing. "Sweet Cheeks!" he'd said, that familiar look of terror and unpleasant surprise on his face at seeing Ziva. "Just finishing up the nightly scrubbings! Figured piling 'em all in at once would make things go faster so we'd have a little more Mommy And Daddy Time later, y'know?" Tony flashed her a huge grin, which faded when he saw the look on Ziva's face. He grimaced. "I'll, uh... OK, well, the dogs are about done, so... JACK! NO! WE DON'T EAT SOAP! YOU JUST HAD DINNER!"_

Now all was quiet in the house. The babies were soundly sleeping. The dogs were curled up, snoozing peacefully. Tony, who'd escaped death three times in one day, lay breathing softly beside Ziva, blissfully unaware that his life had ever been in any sort of danger. Only Ziva remained awake, depressed at the thought of even having considered throttling the man she loved with her bare hands.

"Swee Chee..."

Tony was mumbling in his sleep again. Ziva turned to listen. What in the world was the man dreaming of? And what role could she possibly be playing in his strange subconscious fantasies?

"Figwumps?"

Tony smiled, raising an eyebrow playfully as he rolled over onto his stomach. He snickered deep in his throat.

"Mmmm... Figwumps."

With that, he growled and giggled, threw an arm across Ziva and sighed in the way he did when they'd just finished making love. A goofy grin was plastered across his face. Ziva tenderly stroked his arm, watching her husband sleep.

_Figwumps,_ she thought, a smile playing at her lips as she reminded herself just how lucky she was to have this man by her side, burning her breakfasts as long as they both should live.


	124. Only In My Dreams

Title: Only In My Dreams  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Did they or didn't they? Only Ziva knows for sure.

**-------------------- Only In My Dreams ---------------------**

"Ziva, I've missed you," Tony said with a sigh, gazing dreamily into his wife's dark brown eyes.

"I have been sitting right here at my desk all day, Tony," Ziva replied, eyeing Tony curiously.

"That's true, my hothouse flower," Tony answered, the doleful look still on his handsome face, "but I still missed you. You were working. I was working..."

"_You_," Ziva shot back with a sly grin, "were not _working_, my little furry mutt." She raised an eyebrow in Tony's direction. "_You_," Ziva continued, "were _shopping_ online for new Ohio State chew toys to buy for MacFlea and Shep."

"I categorically deny that," Tony hissed. "And how'd you _know?_" He narrowed his green eyes at Ziva, who only cackled wickedly in response. Tony snarled back at her as she again started looking over some case files.

Bored, Tony got up from his desk and sidled over to Ziva's. She continued studying the files before her, giving Tony only a sideways glance as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Look around, Sweet Cheeks," Tony whispered suggestively, his breath hot against Ziva's skin. "Nobody here in the bullpen but us chickens. Heh heh heh..."

Ziva frowned, knitting her eyebrows.

"What chickens, Tony? Who are the chickens? _We_ are the chickens?" Ziva was now completely befuddled. "Because I am _not_ a chicken," she said, snorting out a little mocking laugh, "although _you_ have sometimes acted as if..."

"It's an _expression_, Muffin Cuddles!" Tony snarled, frustrated that Ziva wasn't playing along. He sat on the edge of her desk, glowering down at her. "All I'm sayin' is," Tony said in a quiet tone, looking around furtively to see if anyone at all might still be in the office, "we're the only ones _here_ right now. So how's about we take a little... uh... _snack break_, hm?" He grinned, licking his teeth with his tongue. "I'll be the snack. Feel free to break me any way you'd like, my ninja." Tony took Ziva's hand in his, caressing her palm with his thumb.

"I see," Ziva purred, gazing up at Tony with a sultry look that instantly aroused him. "And if I am not... _hungry_... at the moment?" She was purposely teasing him, forcing him to sweat out the idea of their making love at the office. Ziva knew this had been one of Tony's most cherished fantasies; he dreamed of it — literally — and had confessed to her that someday, somehow he wanted the two of them to "christen" MTAC.

Tony tugged at his necktie. He was sweating bullets now.

"Ziva, c'mon!" he pleaded under his breath. "Please... _PLEASE!_"

Without a word, Ziva rose from her desk. Yanking Tony by his tie, she led — or, actually, pulled — him up the stairs to MTAC as he made hacking and coughing sounds the whole way, gasping for air. Looking sternly at Tony as she tightened her grip on his tie, she swiped her ID badge and yanked him through the door into MTAC. The door closed swiftly and silently behind them.

In the blackness of the main MTAC room, only the light from the various monitors cast light on Tony and Ziva as they made love. Tony, reclining in one of the large leather chairs Vance preferred to use when communicating via the giant MTAC monitor screen, moaned as Ziva straddled him, taking him inside, her breath coming in quick gasps as she moved her hips against his.

"Wait," Ziva gasped as Tony groaned beneath her. "Wait... Tony... Not yet... _Longer_, Tony..." She didn't want their lovemaking to end so quickly. She was enjoying this, the riskiness of it, as much as the sensation. Tony's eyes rolled back; he couldn't form any words, grunting being the only response he could muster. He would try to hold back. If he could.

After a few more minutes, it was clear to Ziva that Tony was losing control. In fact, he was barely conscious, the only proof that he still knew what was going on around him being the groans of passion coming from deep within his throat. She would have to let him go. This was the moment she savored most of all...

When Tony woke up, he was already back at his desk, reclined in his chair as if he'd perhaps been napping. Drowsily, he checked his suit. Everything looked normal. His pants were zipped, shirt tucked in, tie looking neat. Sitting up, he rubbed the back of his head and stared over Ziva's way. She sat primly at her own desk, going over the files she'd been studying earlier. Tony yawned, looked down at his watch, went wide-eyed when he saw the time and shook his head to try fully waking up.

"Mmmm... Ziva? You see the _time?_" Tony yawned again. "We're late to pick up the kids."

"Abby is taking care of that," Ziva said nonchalantly, looking at her files. "She is taking them back to our house for dinner and their baths."

Tony slapped at his face, still feeling out of it. He studied Ziva curiously.

_Did we have sex or not?_ Tony was wondering. _And how the hell did I get down HERE? Was I dreaming? _

There was no way they could have made love up in MTAC, Tony thought. Ziva was strong but she couldn't have dragged him back down to his desk when he was unconscious. No WAY.

_Guess I was dreaming,_ Tony sighed.

"C'mon, Ziva," he said softly, "Let's get outta here. Been a long day."

Ziva smiled at him and, taking Tony's arm, walked with him to the elevator.

"I suppose it has," she agreed. "But it has not been dull."

"Hey, uh," Tony began as the elevator doors started to shut, "did we go up to MTAC earlier and, um...?"

"And what?" Ziva replied, looking questioningly at Tony, the slightest hint of a smile playing at her lips.

"Oh, never mind," Tony sighed as the metallic doors closed behind them.


	125. Burnin' For You

Title: Burnin' For You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony makes a bold move for Ziva.

**-------------------- Burnin' For You ---------------------**

Ziva lay quietly staring at the night's blackness through the bedroom window. Her mind, this evening, was troubled. She couldn't sleep.

Beside her, Tony perused the latest issue of GHM Magazine. Letting out a little wolf whistle as he scanned the centerfold of a sexy blonde, blue-eyed Hollywood actress in a skimpy bikini, Tony licked his tongue with his teeth and grinned.

"Heh heh heh... Surf is up, indeed!" Tony said with a low growl, obviously pleased with what he saw. "She could wax my board anytime. Ha ha HAH..."

Hearing her husband talk this way only made Ziva feel that much less attractive. Now she struggled to keep tears from welling in her dark brown eyes, her stomach aching as she found herself silently wishing for the first time in her life that her hair wasn't so dark, her eyes weren't so brown, her skin far less olive and dusky.

The next day at work, Tony sensed something was wrong. Ziva hadn't waited to ride in to the NCIS office with him. Instead, she'd left a hastily-scrawled note by the bed saying that she would drive herself since she had extra work to do on a case.

So Tony handled the morning duties with the babies and dogs and didn't have an answer when Sarah asked where Mommy was. He told her that Mommy went to work early but Sarah only sighed and looked unhappy with the explanation. When Sarah said that she missed Mommy, Tony said that he did too. Baby Jack spent his morning sobbing and screaming when Tony tried to feed him any infant cereal. Even McFlea and Shep merely sniffed at their breakfasts, whimpering as they lay beneath Ziva's empty place at the kitchen table.

The drive to work, for Tony, felt endless. Without Ziva there to fight him for control of the radio, complain that he drove "as slow as a syrup" and offer odds on when he'd suffer the first Gibbs-slap of the day, Tony was reminded of all the years he spent making his way to work with no one to talk to every morning — or anyone to drive home with at night. Now he remembered how lonely he'd felt before he and Ziva had finally started their relationship. And the feeling was one he'd never hoped to experience again.

When he didn't see Ziva's red Mini in the NCIS parking area, Tony truly began to worry. Deep down, he knew she wasn't going to be at her desk. But he forced himself to hold out hope nevertheless. Entering the Bullpen, he saw immediately that he was right. No Ziva. Gibbs and McGee hadn't yet arrived, either. Again, Tony was all alone.

"Boss, you seen Ziva this morning?" Tony asked when Gibbs finally strolled by. Gibbs gave Tony an odd look.

"She called in sick," Gibbs said, frowning. "Left me a voicemail. Didn't YOU know?"

"Oh... uh... yeah, Boss," Tony stammered, trying to cover for his wife. "Just thought she mighta gone to the doctor and come on in to work, y'know?"

"No," Gibbs grunted. "I DON'T know."

"Heh... Well, guess my better half is... uh... not... feeling better... than my... uh... other half today... Boss," Tony said, desperate to cover Ziva's tracks and also get started desperately tracking her down.

"Guess not," Gibbs barked.

"Just gonna go call her NOW, Boss," Tony said nervously. "Make sure she's..."

"Go HOME, DiNozzo!" Gibbs ordered, frustrated with both the otherwise occupied Tony and the absent Ziva. No work would get done today from half his team, Gibbs knew. _Why'd I let them break the BIG rule?_ Gibbs thought to himself, clenching his jaw as he gave Tony a hard glare.

"On it, Boss," Tony replied, hurrying for the elevator.

After failing to find Ziva at any of her usual "Get Away From Tony" hideouts, Tony eventually gave up and headed, as Gibbs suggested, for home. In the driveway, he saw Ziva's red Mini and, whipping his Mustang in behind her car, rushed into the house, feeling incredibly relieved that Ziva was home.

"Ziva?" Tony called, looking for his missing wife all through their small home. "Sweet Cheeks? Honey? Where ARE you?"

But all the rooms were still, empty and silent. No Ziva.

When Tony at last made his way back to the kitchen, he saw her. Out in the backyard, as McFlea and Shep lay by her side, Ziva was furiously spading in the small vegetable garden she'd planted. Tony sighed heavily, as happy as he'd ever been to see his wife. Tiptoeing almost literally through the tulips she'd planted earlier in spring, Tony grinned wickedly as he tried sneaking up on Ziva. Cupping his hands, he prepared to cover her eyes from behind.

"You could," Ziva said nonchalantly without even looking up from her spading as Tony hovered over her back, ready to pounce, "but you shouldn't if you would like our children to grow up with a father who will not need a machine to assist him with his breathing." Tossing some black dirt aside, Ziva pitched a weed over Tony's dress shoe. He froze, statue-like, with his hands out in front of him, not daring to move.

"How do you know I'm doing anything?" Tony asked, trying to keep his balance.

"You are always doing something, Tony," Ziva replied. Tony noted a peculiar iciness in her voice and frowned, hearing it.

"Maybe I was going to kiss you," Tony answered quickly. "What if that was the something I was allegedly doing? Or planning on doing? If I was doing anything. Which I wasn't. Not. Doing. Anything." Confused now by his own stammering, Tony tried to sort out exactly what he was trying to say. Even he couldn't figure it out.

"You," Ziva said petulantly, "would certainly not be planning to kiss me." She began spading with real force.

"And why would I certainly not?" Tony asked, sensing that Ziva was pushing for a fight of some sort. He was trying to keep the mood as light as possible but felt that he was losing the battle.

"Because I am not... centerfold material," Ziva said, tossing her spade down into the ground with an audible "thonk." She rose to face Tony, whipping off her gardening gloves. "I am not 21. I am not five-ten. I am not doused in baby oil, wearing a _throng_ bikini!" Tony grimaced as she pushed him aside, stalking towards the house. "I am NOT blonde! I am NOT a Hollywood movie actress! I am NOT blue-eyed and tan! I am NOT straddling a surfboard! I do NOT have size D breast implants and I AM NOT THIS MONTH'S 'COOLEST HOT BODIES OF SUMMER' CENTERFOLD IN YOUR... RIDICULOUS GHM MAGAZINE THAT YOU DROOL OVER WHEN I AM LYING RIGHT NEXT TO YOU IN OUR BED AT NIGHT, TONY!"

With that, Ziva rushed into the house, slamming the kitchen door behind her. Tony, stunned at her outburst, stood staring, uncertain of what to do or say. McFlea, followed by little Shep, padded into the house after Ziva. But Tony knew that for a while, anyway, he should stay well away.

Lying alone in bed late that night after picking up the children at daycare, feeding and bathing them and finally settling them down to sleep, Ziva wondered how she and Tony would work out this latest little spat. Sarah had asked where Daddy was and when Ziva said he was outside, it broke her heart to hear Sarah ask why Mommy and Daddy didn't live in the same house today. Baby Jack kicked and screamed in the bathtub, clearly upset that Tony wasn't there to make silly faces at him and say things like "Yo ho ho! Who's a little pirate, matey? Arrrgghhh!" that normally made Jack laugh while splashing around. McFlea and Shep lay listlessly in their dog bed, unwilling to play or eat.

Ziva missed Tony.

_Perhaps I am overreacting,_ she thought, wishing he would come to bed.

After another few minutes, Ziva got up. She'd just find Tony and say... she wasn't sure. But she'd figure it out. This had to end.

Knowing that Tony would stay in the garage, working on his car in order to avoid an argument with her, Ziva started for the kitchen on her way to find him outside. As she neared the window looking out onto the backyard, she saw an orange glow.

_Fire?_

Ziva noted a small bonfire burning near an area where Tony often grilled. He stood near the little crackling blaze, tending its small flames with a fireplace poker. Ziva slipped on some sandals and quietly walked to where Tony manned what was quickly turning to ashes.

"Campfire," he said softly, a sheepish little grin playing at his lips. "Little late, I know, but as Senior Field Agent I felt like calling one." With a tiny self-deprecating snort, he added, "Didn't think I needed to get anyone else outta bed for it, though. Not important enough. Kinda stupid, really. Like me."

Ziva sighed. She hated hearing Tony put himself down and knew that her words and coldness towards him had hurt. She, too, was hurting but hadn't wanted this.

"Tony, you are not stupid. Please don't say that." Ziva touched his arm and Tony pulled her to him. They held each other in the night air, which had turned somewhat cool, even for springtime.

"OK, I'm not stupid," Tony said quietly. "But making you feel like you don't compare to those chicks in GHM? That IS stupid." Kissing Ziva's forehead, he went on: "Sweet Cheeks... Those women couldn't carry your Glock strap. They're not real, baby. YOU are. And believe me — I know that. I love that. I love YOU. Not some magazine centerfold. You. Only you."

"I love you, too, Tony," Ziva replied. "I am... sorry... that I was so..."

"No! I'm sorry I hurt YOU, baby," Tony said. "I'm so, SO sorry. Forgive me?"

"You would not prefer that I dye my hair blonde or that my eyes were blue?" Ziva asked, smiling at Tony. "That is what you liked in your... surfboard waxer."

"That's all talk, Ziva," Tony said. "And y'know what? I'm too old for talk like that anymore. Which is why I cancelled my GHM subscription this afternoon. And this?" Tony indicated the smoldering ashes at their feet. "There's my GHM collection. Every issue since Numero Uno. Up in smoke, my ninja."

"YOU did not have to DO that," Ziva began. But Tony pressed a finger tenderly to her lips, silencing her sweetly.

"Yes, I did. It was time. We've got kids. We've got bills. We've got dogs. We've got radishes. You planted radishes, didn't you?"

"I did," Ziva replied, snuggling her head against Tony's chest.

"God, I hate radishes," Tony hissed. "But I love you. So it's sayonara to Miss Sex Wax."

"Sex Wax?" Ziva asked, truly confused. "What is Sex Wax?"

Tony sprayed water from the garden hose onto the ashes, making sure they were completely out. Then, after turning off the water, he offered Ziva his arm and escorted her to the kitchen door.

"Allow me to show you, my wahine," Tony teased, raising an eyebrow suggestively at Ziva as he nodded towards their bedroom down the hallway. "Oh, I've been a bad, bad Beach Boy. And I've got a woodie that really needs waxing down before I even start to think about shooting your curl and hangin' ten."


	126. Can't Stop The World

Title: Can't Stop The World  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Baby chores wear out Tony.

**-------------------- Can't Stop The World ---------------------**

"Aw, JACK, come ON!" Tony whined, soapy bath water dripping from his clothes. "Quit splashin' around and take your BATH! Daddy's TIRED!"

Baby Jack raised his strong little arms high in the air over his head and brought them down with all the force he could muster, creating a huge tidal wave in the tub. Once again, Tony was soaked. Jack giggled, squeaking with glee as the lukewarm wave drenched his father. Frustrated with his infant son's stubborn refusal to sit still long enough to be washed, Tony snarled and, sponge in hand, wrung it out over Baby Jack's head. Jack hollered loudly in protest.

"And stop squawkin'!" Tony groused at his little boy. Jack stuck out his lower lip at his daddy, steaming at having been given a taste of his own medicine. "You can dish it out but ya can't take it, huh?" Tony said, giving Baby Jack a good scrubbing. When he finished, Tony lifted Jack out of the tub and started drying him off.

Just then, Tony felt a wet warmth spreading across his pants leg. Looking down, he saw Jack issuing a little stream of pee, his green eyes full of innocence as they stared up into Tony's.

"Marking your territory?" Tony growled. Baby Jack, feeling much better, smiled and laughed. His father, feeling much worse, sighed and frowned.

"GAH!" Jack squealed, giddy from his tub time. Tony, however, was exhausted.

Hauling Jack up into his arms after wrapping his boy in a towel to prevent further leakage, Tony yawned as he carried his son into the nursery to diaper and dress him for bed. He sighed again, thinking of how he now wished he hadn't told Ziva it was fine to take Sarah to the local bookstore so they could see Abby reading to children in her once-weekly role as Gabby Abby because "Jack and I need a little MAN time, anyway."

Ziva never had a problem bathing Jack; he knew better than to act up when his mother gave him The Look. But Baby Jack, who was just like his father, wouldn't mind Tony — not during his bath or at dinner when Tony tried to feed him carrots or now, when Tony pleaded with him to stay still while he tried diapering him.

"Jack... Buddy... PLEASE!" Tony begged, desperate to stop Jack's kicking as he worked to powder his bottom. "Daddy has had a LONG day. Daddy had to call every 'John Smith' in the Washington D.C. phonebook just to find ONE 'John Smith' that Boss Boss needed us to question. And then Daddy got Gibbs-slapped when that 'John Smith' turned out to be the WRONG 'John Smith.'" Now Tony tried diapering Jack, who kicked that much more furiously. "So c'mon, Jack Jack, give your old man a break, huh?"

When Ziva and Sarah returned home, Baby Jack greeted them in the living room. Sitting up bright-eyed on top of a sleeping Tony, who lay dead to the world on the sofa, he contentedly played 'patty-cake' on his daddy's little gut. When Tony let out a huge snore, Jack giggled with glee. Sarah, too, laughed. Ziva folded her arms and sighed, shaking her head as she looked at her exhausted husband.

"What have I told you about playing nicely with Daddy?" Ziva said to Baby Jack as she scooped him up from his perch on Tony, who snorted but remained asleep. "Now he will be cranky when he wakes up and I'll need to give him a warm bath. I guess I just cannot leave the two of you alone, can I?"

With that, she carried Jack to the nursery as Sarah skipped along behind. With a loud snort, Tony awoke, dazed from his nap.

"Bath?" he asked in an innocent tone, looking around the living room hopefully.


	127. All Eyes

Title: All Eyes  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: A certain someone's got Tony's, um, "attention." Mild SMUT but then sweetness and light.

**-------------------- All Eyes ---------------------**

"You look ravishing tonight, my ninja," Tony said breathily into Ziva's ear. "I don't know what it is that's different about you... Your hair... Your makeup... Your perfume..."

"Perhaps it is these yellow dishwashing gloves," Ziva replied, smirking as she wrung out a soapy rag into the sink. "They do have a certain... flair."

"Yes, they do," Tony agreed, nuzzling her neck. "I admire the way they compliment your ..."

"... salad bowls?" Ziva asked, carefully scrubbing one such item in a circular motion with a sponge. Tony, watching her work, had to catch his breath.

"Among other things," he replied, his voice husky. "I could use a good soaking, Sweet Cheeks. And a thorough scouring."

"You are dirty, my little furry mutt?" Ziva grinned playfully, going along with Tony's little game.

"When have I ever been clean?" Tony asked, planting a hot kiss on her bare shoulder. Now there was no denying that he wanted Ziva without delay; she could feel him, ready, against the back of her hip.

"Where," Ziva murmured, herself turned on by Tony's arousal, "are the children?" His hands moved to her inner thighs, gently caressing them.

"Nursery," Tony grunted, tasting Ziva's dusky shoulder with his tongue. "Playing Zoo..." He could hardly breathe, taking in her scent. "...with dogs." Suddenly turning Ziva around to face him, Tony pulled her to him somewhat fiercely and, his mouth overtaking hers in a lustful kiss, he pushed her into the side laundry room, closing the shuttered door behind them.

That they'd made love only the night before didn't matter to Tony. He'd been watching Ziva all day long while they ran mundane errands, unable to take his green eyes off her. The easy way she cradled Baby Jack to her breast; how she and Sarah always seemed to know what the other was thinking; even that snarky "Ha HAH!" she shot his way when she'd been right about how his "shortcut" across town to Ducky's house actually took 10 minutes longer than the usual way — all of these little things about Ziva were the things Tony loved. They were why he'd dreamed about her, had to have her, had to marry her and make her his forever. And now, at this moment, they were why he couldn't wait another minute to make love to her.

Boosting Ziva onto the top of the dryer, Tony quickly glanced over his shoulder to make sure the babies weren't anywhere nearby. Breathing hard, he pulled off his t-shirt, flinging it onto the floor as Ziva, watching the display, licked her lips in anticipation of what was to come. Tony next reached for Ziva, removing her shirt as he unhooked her bra with a deft, obviously practiced move. She groaned as he tenderly kissed her breasts, moving his hands down her flat belly to unzip her jeans.

Once he'd stripped Ziva completely, Tony hastily removed his own jeans and boxers, taking just a minute to stand naked before his wife. Ziva's brown eyes roamed the length of Tony's body, pleased with the view. Before Ziva could react, Tony had once again taken her in his firm grasp, fitting her hips to his. She gasped, gazing down at him, and he understood that he should take his time.

Mindful of perhaps being caught by Sarah, Tony and Ziva nevertheless made love at a relaxed, yet intensely passionate, pace. Their time together took only a few minutes but felt, to them, as if it had been easy and not at all rushed. When they finished, both wanted more from the other. Ziva whispered to Tony that they should hit the stack early. He chuckled, moaning in full agreement.

Carefully opening the laundry room door, which always seemed to squeak no matter how many times he oiled the hinges, Tony peeped out into the kitchen cautiously.

No Sarah. He breathed a little sigh of relief.

But then he heard a familiar tiny voice from down the hallway.

"Daddy?"

Sarah's tousled strawberry blonde mop peeked out from the nursery. Baby Jack crawled out for a look, giggling as he grabbed Sarah's leg.

"Goo-nigh Moo?"

Sarah held up her favorite book. Jack approved of the night's reading material, letting loose with a loud "GAH!"

Tony called out that Daddy was coming — to which Ziva, still in the laundry room, echoed that Mommy would be there too (shortly) — and started for the nursery.

"Daddy," Sarah said quite seriously as Tony, who hadn't yet found time to put his shirt on, took "Goodnight Moon" from her, scooping Jack up into his arms, "you too hairy."

"Yeah," Tony sighed. "I know. Daddy's a little furry mutt. That's what Mommy says."

"It OK," Sarah reassured him, patting Tony's shoulder sweetly as he began to read.


	128. Just What I Needed

Title: Just What I Needed  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: A certain little girl needs some Daddy Time.

**-------------------- Just What I Needed ---------------------**

"Aw, C'MON!" Tony yelled at the TV. "Take that guy OUT! He's throwin' MEATBALLS up there!" Grumbling as another Yankees baserunner crossed the plate at Baltimore's expense, Tony muttered "Damn Orioles" under his breath. Ziva and Abby were enjoying a girls' night out so Tony was taking full advantage of having the TV all to himself.

Sitting in his daddy's lap, Baby Jack frowned. He, too, was unhappy — mainly because Tony was unhappy. Pounding his little fists as he stared at the strange figures on the glowing TV, Jack hollered "BAH!"

"You TELL 'em, Buddy!" Tony said approvingly, hugging Jack to his chest. "When YOU grow up and YOU'RE a baseball player someday, Jack? You are NEVER gonna play for the O's! NOOOOO!" Giving Jack a little peck on the forehead, Tony said, "MY little All-Star is gonna play for a team that can WIN games! Aren't ya, little slugger?" Baby Jack giggled. Tony grinned, thrilled at the thought of his son as a big-time baseball star.

"Daddy?"

Sarah, who'd been watching the scene from the living room doorway, toddled over to Tony's recliner. She held out her favorite book, "Goodnight Moon," and asked in her learning-to-make-sentences way if Tony would read to her.

"Daddy's watching the ballgame," Tony said, his eyes glued to the TV. "We'll read later."

Now the Orioles finally came to bat. The first man up hit a double.

"Look at that, Jack, we're on base!" Tony rubbed Jack's tummy, smiling down at his boy. Jack, who was getting sleepy, yawned.

"Pwease, Daddy?" Sarah patiently stood by the recliner with her book. Her daddy had spent most of the day playing with Jack Jack and she had missed him.

"I said later, Sarah," Tony answered, getting mildly annoyed. The game was getting good. Baltimore had the bases loaded with one out. The Yankees had three runs; a base hit would put the Orioles within one. Another base hit would tie the game. And ANOTHER base hit...

"Daddy?"

"I said I'm NOT gonna READ right now! I'm watching the GAME with JACK!" Tony snapped, glowering at his little girl. "And we READ that book LAST night and the night BEFORE that and the night before THAT! I'm NOT reading 'GOODNIGHT MOON' again! Now QUIT buggin' me!"

Sarah didn't say anything. She just looked down sadly and toddled off towards the nursery, "Goodnight Moon" dragging along on the floor by her side as she slowly walked down the hall.

In another inning, it was all over. The Orioles never scored with the bases loaded, the Yankees closed out the game and Tony was disgusted at having wasted another Saturday night watching his favorite team blow yet another ballgame. Baby Jack was sleeping soundly in Tony's lap; he'd checked out on the O's long before his father had.

"Yeah, you've got the right idea, pal," Tony said as he carried Jack to the nursery. Just before entering, he remembered having promised to read to Sarah. And Tony himself was tired. He'd been watching Jack all day so that Ziva would have enough energy to spend the evening having a good time with Abby. Reading "Goodnight Moon," which he now practically knew by heart, felt like just another chore awaiting him.

Usually, the nursery wasn't dark unless all the power was out; Sarah's elephant nightlight would be turned on. But this night, Tony noticed as he stood in the doorway, the room was dark except for the moonlight streaming in through the window. On the little bed Gibbs had handmade for her, Sarah sat with her back to the nursery door, staring out at the nighttime world beyond the confines of her room. She tenderly cradled Jenny Giraffe to her small chest, whispering to the soft toy. Tony, carefully making his way into the room, heard tiny sobs. He noticed that Tony The Tiger sat all alone on the bed, away from the other Zoo animals and nowhere near Sarah. "Goodnight Moon" lay discarded on the floor. Tears welled in Tony's eyes, seeing this; Sarah was always careful to put the book in a special place that she and Ziva had chosen. Now he knew how much he'd hurt his baby girl.

Gently placing the sleeping Jack in his crib, Tony picked up "Goodnight Moon" and, giving his namesake a forlorn glance, plucked Tony The Tiger from his isolated place on the bed. Taking a deep breath to collect himself, Tony sheepishly sidled over to where Sarah was pouring out her soul to Jenny Giraffe. Although Sarah knew her father was there, she didn't look at him. Instead, she hugged Jenny Giraffe that much closer.

"Hey, Sarah," Tony said softly. "Can Daddy sit down here with you and Jenny Giraffe?" He felt as if he should ask for an invitation, having been so impolite — to say the least — all night long.

Sarah thought about it for a moment, continued staring out the window and slowly nodded "yes." Tony gingerly took a seat beside her on the bed. Sarah buried her little face in Jenny Giraffe's slender neck, looking away from Tony.

"I saw our old friend Tony The Tiger over on that side of the bed, all by himself," Tony said, stroking the fuzzy toy's orange and black fur. "He looks sad. I don't think he likes being away from the rest of the Zoo."

"He _mean_ tiger," Sarah said quietly.

"Oh," Tony replied, sighing. "He was mean to you tonight." Sarah nodded. "That doesn't sound like the Tony I know. He's always been your best friend." Swallowing hard, Tony went on. "Maybe... Maybe he was just tired, y'know? And he got grouchy. Even tigers get tired and grouchy. But they shouldn't be mean to little girls and make them feel bad. That's not nice, is it?"

Sarah shook her head "no," clutching Jenny Giraffe as tight as she could.

"Daddy was mean tonight, too, huh? When I said I wouldn't read 'Goodnight Moon' and that you were bugging me." Tony's voice was now barely above a whisper. "Daddy wasn't being nice to you. Daddy was mean." Near tears, Tony swallowed hard again. Sarah took a minute before nodding her head, only a couple of times and even more slowly than before, to indicate "yes."

Now Tony couldn't keep the tears from coming. They streamed down his cheeks as he ached to take it all back, do it all over again, rewind the evening and turn off the baseball game so that he could make the right decision and read to his daughter. But he couldn't do that. It was too late. He had snapped at Sarah, hurt her feelings, made her feel like she wasn't important to him, told her to leave him alone. He could never fix this, not really, because he would always remember it even if Sarah didn't. And he would have to tell Ziva, which he dreaded. He'd thought he was a good father to his children. Now he felt like a complete failure.

_You had to yell at her, didn't you?_ Tony thought bitterly, berating himself. _Just like Senior did when you were a kid.__ You're a terrible father. You're pathetic, Tony. You..._

"You not mean, Daddy."

Sarah's little voice brought Tony back from his despair. Sniffing back more tears, he wiped his eyes, realizing that she was looking up at him.

"I wuv you, Daddy."

Bleary-eyed from crying and unable to stop, Tony tenderly reached for Sarah. Pulling her to him, he hugged his baby girl (and her giraffe) to his chest as he whispered "I love you, too, Sarah... Daddy loves you so much, Snugglepumpkin. And I'm so sorry I yelled at you. Daddy's sorry. Daddy didn't mean it. And Daddy won't ever EVER do that again. I promise." He stuck his pinky out for Sarah to see. "Pinky promise?"

"Peeky pwomise," Sarah agreed, wrapping her tiny pinky around Tony's. He gave her a tight bear hug and a big kiss on the cheek. "Daddy, you silly!" Sarah giggled, giving Tony a poochy-lipped kiss square on his lips.

"Daddy missed you today," Tony said, pushing Sarah's curly hair back from her face. "How about tomorrow you and I spend ALL day together? We can go to the REAL zoo." Tony lifted Tony The Tiger up from the bed. "Can this guy go with us? I think he's sorry for being mean, too." Sarah nodded "yes."

"And Raff," she added, having Jenny Giraffe give Tony The Tiger a makeup kiss. "And Jack Jack. And Mommy."

"Okay," Tony replied gently. "We'll all go to the zoo. But before we can do that, we all need to get our sleep, don't we?" Again, Sarah nodded. "And Daddy's favorite book that always makes HIM sleepy is right here."

Tucking Sarah, Jenny Giraffe, Tony The Tiger and the rest of the Zoo into bed, Tony settled in beside his little girl. After plugging in the elephant nightlight, the nursery once again assumed its familiar, cozy pink glow. In his crib, Jack stirred ever so slightly, and Sarah whispered "Goo night, Jack Jack" to comfort her baby brother, who she loved dearly. Tony was always touched by the way Sarah tended to Jack like a little mother, protecting and watching out for him.

Now Tony treasured the book in his hands; he cherished his daughter. Sarah was his angel. And Jack was his prince. He was a good father, he knew. But he would try to be an even better daddy to his children, both of them, from now on. In a tender voice, Tony quietly began to read the words he now realized should have always been incredibly precious to him. He made a silent vow to never again take them, or the tiny girl who adored them, for granted.

_"In the great green room... there was a telephone... and a red balloon... and a picture of..."_


	129. Stolen

Title: Stolen  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Somebody's snaking snacks and snippings.

**-------------------- Stolen ---------------------**

"Flowers? For me?"

Tony sniffed at the little bouquet Ziva handed him. She'd been working in her garden and had just cut a handful of wildflowers for her husband. Tony gave Ziva a little kiss on the cheek and thanked her for the gift.

"You have never gotten flowers, Tony?" Ziva eyed him curiously.

"Nope," Tony answered. "Given lots of 'em but never have gotten any. Until now. I love them, Sweet Cheeks." Then a devious look came into Tony's green eyes as he noticed McGee fumbling with a grill next door. "Bet Abby's never given McGrillmaster any flowers. Heh heh heh..."

Ziva rolled her eyes at this.

"I did not give you flowers so that you could throw them into MahGee's face, Tony," Ziva said.

"Well, of course I'm not gonna throw 'em in his pasty McFace, my ninja. I'll put them in water so they can thrive." He grinned, giving his little wildflowers another long sniff. "Then I'll throw the fact that you GAVE me flowers in his McFace."

Ziva yanked the flowers out of Tony's hand, causing him to flinch. He snarled, doing a double-take.

"Hey!" Tony snapped. "Gimme back my flowers! You can't just hand a man flowers and then snatch 'em back! It's... It's... It's un-American!"

"I am Israeli," Ziva shot back, taking in the flowers' scent. "And you do not deserve such pretty flowers since you had such ugly plans for them."

"Ugly plans?" Tony wailed. "I had no plans for the flowers, ugly or otherwise. Plans! Ha! What PLANS? There were no plans! Plans, she says..." Watching as Ziva strolled off with the little bouquet, Tony yelled out "INDIAN GIVER!" Ziva called back that she was NOT from India. Tony stuck his tongue out at her as she entered the house. Then he bitterly muttered to himself under his breath, "Oh, I had plans alright... Big plans... Maybe plans you would've LIKED, Miss... Miss... Flower Stealer! But now YOU'LL never know..."

After stewing out in his garage for a few minutes, Tony decided it was time for his second (or third) afternoon snack and headed into the house. As he scanned the refrigerator contents, he noticed his wildflowers sitting in a little vase on the kitchen table. Looking around to see if Ziva was anywhere nearby, Tony closed the refrigerator — after stuffing a brownie in his mouth — and, tiptoeing over to the table, plucked the vase from where it stood and snuck off with it.

Back out in the garage, Tony ducked down in the back seat of his Mustang, sniffing his wildflowers.

"Ahhhhh..." He grinned, bringing the little bouquet to his nose. "Come to Papa..."

It took a minute for the tapping on the Mustang's back window glass to register with Tony, but when it did, he jumped, letting out a little startled scream. Ziva, who'd been watching Tony the whole time, smiled and laughed at him through the glass. He growled back at her, shielding his flowers from her sight.

"This is a PRIVATE moment!" Tony said prissily as Ziva slid into the driver's seat, turning to look at where he sat hunkered down with his precious little gift. "Can't a man have any time to himself?"

"You took the flowers from the kitchen," Ziva said matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow at Tony. He shrugged his shoulders at her in response. "AND a snack." Wiping crumbs from his mouth, he tried to look innocent.

"You can't prove anything. About any snack." Tony looked around, desperate for an escape.

"It was Sarah's snack," Ziva said, grinning wickedly.

"You lie," Tony answered hoarsely. "And... um... what snack?"

"Where my BWOWNIE?" Sarah's tiny voice rang out from the house. Tony looked terrified as Sarah waited a minute and then hollered "DADDY!" as if she knew exactly who'd snatched her brownie.

"Hide me, Ziva," Tony whispered to Ziva, his green eyes pleading with her for help. "You're my only hope, Sweet Cheeks!"

"I think I have a solution," Ziva replied, "to your little problem."

"Well, hurry up," Tony whispered hoarsely, "because my little problem is mad as a hornet and she's coming out of the kitchen right now to find Daddy!"

Later that night as Tony and Ziva tucked Sarah into bed, she gave each of them a big kiss to thank them for the pretty little vase of wildflowers that now sat on her dresser. Baby Jack had hollered and fussed when he saw his Daddy placing them just so where his sister wanted them, but now he was sound asleep and there was always tomorrow for him to get mad again at having the nursery all girled-up by Sarah.

"My fowers pwetty, Daddy," Sarah said softly to Tony as he kissed her goodnight.

"They sure are, Tulip Bulb," Tony replied, tucking Sarah into her bed.

"Daddy?" Sarah looked up at Tony, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, baby?" Tony said tenderly.

"Where my bwownie?"


	130. Jungle Love

Title: Jungle Love  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Uh oh... There's a lion in the house.

**-------------------- Jungle Love ---------------------**

"NO, JACK JACK!" Sarah yelled, obviously panicked. "THAT BAD! JACK JACK, YOU STOP! NO! JACK JACK! THAT MINE!"

Next came the cry Ziva had been expecting.

"MOMMMMMMMMMMMMY!"

And then a baby lion trotted through the living room, grasping a giraffe firmly in its jaws. It lay down in front of the fireplace and, seemingly uncertain of what to do with its prey, it simply closed its eyes and started to take a nap, the little giraffe still in its mouth.

Ziva considered rescuing the helpless giraffe from the baby lion but knew that assistance was on the way — in the form of one angry little tiger. And again she was right; the tiger stomped into the living room, waking the baby lion from its catnap, and gingerly removed the giraffe from the lion's fuzzy little black jaws.

"SHEP, YOU BAD DOGGY!" The tiger frowned down at the baby lion, who wagged its little tail back up at the animal fussing at it. "YOU NOT EAT RAFF! THAT BAD!" The tiger, having had its say, tromped off. Now the baby lion, with no prey, let out a tiny yap and trotted off in pursuit of the tiger. It missed its friend. "JACK JACK, YOU BAD BOY!" echoed down the hallway. "YOU NOT TAKE RAFF! SHE NOT FOOD!"

Ziva grinned, rolling her eyes at the scene, and went back to her book.

Everything was quiet for a long time... until another lion attack disturbed the peace of the living room.

Just as the sexy female detective in her book was (yet again) saving her male partner from certain peril, Ziva sensed that she was being watched. Peering down slowly over the top of her book, she noticed a second baby lion staring up at her. Its green eyes were full of mischief and it looked hungry. Ziva guessed that the baby lions who had invaded her house were seeking afternoon snacks.

"Hello," Ziva said to the baby lion eyeballing her from its "crawl" position on the floor.

"Rowr," the baby lion growled, trying to look fierce. It stuck out its bottom lip and frowned up at Ziva.

"You are a hungry lion today?" Ziva asked the little jungle cat.

"RUH!" the lion answered, pounding one of its tiny paws on the floor.

"Well," Ziva said, putting down her book as she rose from the sofa, "I happen to have some prey on hand in the kitchen. You will follow me?"

She headed to the pantry and the baby lion crawled as fast as it could, trying to catch up, letting out little growls and grunts along its way.

Bravely reaching down to lift the fierce, hungry lion into its high chair, Ziva cheated sure death as she placed a box of animal crackers on the kitchen table. The baby lion grabbed for it but Ziva moved it just out of reach.

"Ah-ha," she gently scolded, giving the little lion a mildly stern look. "Where are your manners, Mr. King of the Jungle?" Ziva then called for Sarah and Shep, who bounded down the hall together. Jenny Giraffe, safe in Sarah's grip, came too. When everyone was properly seated at the table, Ziva poured the resident tiger and baby lion some milk and gave each four cookies. The other baby lion sitting beside the high chair got some puppy snacks and fresh water. At last, Ziva took an animal cookie for herself.

"Hey, where's MY snack?"

Tony, who'd been mowing the yard, took a seat at the table. McFlea, who'd been "helping" by trailing the lawnmower and sniffing the freshly-cut grass, plopped down beside his master, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. Sarah scooted her chair closer to her Mommy and wrinkled her nose, getting a whiff of her stinky Daddy. Baby Jack hollered when Tony went to give his little head a tender tousle. Tony looked depressed. Ziva couldn't help but chuckle.

"Our lions and tigers are in agreement on one thing," she said to Tony. "Their furry mutt of a father definitely needs a shower."

Snarling, Tony got up from the table and started for the bathroom. But before he left the kitchen area, he took the box of animal crackers, shook a handful out and popped a couple into his mouth.

"Furry mutts need snacks, too," Tony hissed playfully as he — and McFlea — strutted off to the showers.


	131. No More Words

Title: No More Words  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva wishes she could get the words right.

**-------------------- No More Words ---------------------**

When Tony returned from taking Sarah and Baby Jack with him on errands, Ziva noticed that he was carrying a huge bag from The Trap, his favorite clothing store. Eyeing it suspiciously, Ziva watched as Tony set the bag down carefully on his recliner in the living room before carrying Jack on into the kitchen, where Sarah had already bolted for a little snack.

"What is in there, Tony? Ziva asked, raising an eyebrow as she nodded towards the parcel.

"A cat," Tony replied teasingly. "Don't let it out." Snickering, he strode off into the kitchen with Jack, who giggled (although he wasn't sure what was funny).

Ziva gritted her teeth as Tony passed.

_He does not think I get his little joke,_ she thought.

"The gag will soon be on YOU, my love!" Ziva called into the kitchen. "Ha!"

"Ohhhhh, I hope so, my ninja," Tony called back into the living room. "Can we use the blindfold, too?"

"Tony!" Ziva hissed, popping her head into the kitchen doorway. "That is not... proper talk for... the kitchen!" She nodded, indicating Sarah and Jack, who were munching fruit from the refrigerator.

"Aw, the strawberries don't mind, Sweet Cheeks," Tony replied, flashing a devilish grin. When Ziva started to protest, Tony put up his hands and said, "I know, I know... Little pitchers have big ears."

Ziva looked exasperated.

"I do not care about your baseball team, Tony," Ziva said, growing frustrated. "I am talking about... Ahhh! Never mind!" With that, she turned and went back into the living room. Tony sighed, gave Sarah another half glass of milk and then followed Ziva.

Instead of taking a seat beside her on the sofa, Tony headed for his recliner — where he lifted the shopping bag for Ziva to see.

"Are we done with the puns?" he asked, trying to get Ziva to smile. "Because I thought you might like to see what the kids and I spent your hard-earned money on today."

"We have been married nearly a year and you STILL make fun of my English," Ziva said, sulking.

"I do," Tony agreed. "Because you STILL make fun of my EVERYTHING." He grinned, sitting beside Ziva on the couch. "And that's fine with me, Ziva. I know you're just teasing. I am, too. I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings, honey."

Ziva drew near to Tony, sighing.

"Oh, I know," she said dolefully. "Sometimes I wish that ..." She thought for a moment, considering her words. "I would like to get the words right. You know?"

Tony laughed, giving Ziva a tender kiss.

"I like it that you mix stuff up," he said in a husky tone. "Makes me sound like the smart one for a change." Ziva gave him a playful punch in the ribs.

"Alright," she said, trying to peep into the bag, "what did you damage at the store?" Tony stared at her quizzically.

"Ah ha HA! What's the damage!" he sweetly corrected.

"You see? Those are the words I cannot properly say!" Ziva groaned, leaning back into the sofa cushions. She was looking depressed again.

"Yeah, well, I know six words you get right every time," Tony replied, putting his arm around her again. Ziva peered up at him as if she didn't believe him.

"And what would those be, Tony?" Ziva wasn't buying into Tony's attempt to cheer her up, but Tony pressed on.

"Take me now, Tony, you stallion," Tony said quite seriously. Ziva stared back at him; she had no response.

"Stallion..." Ziva began, leaning forward to rifle through the bag's contents. She smirked, holding back a little laugh. "That is the same as _jackass_, is it not, my little furry mutt?"

"OK, y'know? I think your English may be getting... a little TOO good for its OWN good, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said, snarling as Ziva winked at him.


	132. Pokerface

Title: Pokerface  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Someone doesn't like guys checking Ziva out.

**-------------------- Pokerface ---------------------**

Few things made Tony happier than splashing around in the swimming pool at the neighborhood park with Sarah. And now Baby Jack was getting his introduction to the water. So far, he seemed OK with the idea of playing in the baby pool; Jack was thrilled whenever he could make giant waves by crashing his strong little arms down into water anywhere, anytime.

Relaxing on a deck chair near where Jack giggled and screamed with joy as he splashed with the other babies in the little pool was Ziva, who intently studied her paperback as she sunned herself in the famed Black Bikini. Tony, popping up from beneath the water where Sarah had "dunked" him, grinned and licked his teeth with his tongue as he caught sight of Ziva rubbing more tanning oil on her olive skin. Eyeballing her body from head to toe, Tony gave thanks silently for being in the pool, somewhat hidden from view, at that exact moment. Sarah clung to his neck from behind; they were playing Submarine and Tony was the sub.

"_Down_, Daddy!" Sarah said. She was the periscope.

"In a minute, OK, Snugglepumpkin?" Tony replied, unable to take his eyes off Ziva. "Daddy's... a little... tired. We'll play more soon, I promise. Daddy just needs... um... a couple minutes, sweetie." The truth was that he couldn't swim just then. Sarah said OK and rested her chin on Tony's shoulder as they floated their way across the pool to a spot near where Ziva lay in her deck chair. Tony wanted a better view of his gorgeous wife in the Black Bikini he so adored. It never failed to turn him on.

"Dude, SHE is hot."

A man relaxing along the side of the pool next to Tony spoke to him, nodding in Ziva's direction. Tony narrowed his green eyes, saying nothing. The man, in his twenties, was tan and well-muscled. He tossed Tony a knowing grin. Tony just stared back at him.

"Bet the scenery's even better under that bikini, huh?" The man snickered. He rubbed at his soul patch. "I'd like to be the oil in _that_ bottle, dude. Know what I mean?"

Tony fumed quietly, knowing the subject of this talk was Ziva. He wanted to slug the man but Sarah still clung to him. And he didn't want to get the family thrown out of the pool and, worse, banned for the summer. But he couldn't just let this go on and...

"That my MOMMY!" Sarah squeaked angrily at the man from over Tony's shoulder. "She love my DADDY!"

The man looked stunned. Sarah frowned at him, mad as a little hornet.

"THIS my DADDY!" Sarah said proudly, clutching Tony's neck just a bit more tightly. "HE love MOMMY!"

"Yeah," Tony replied, giving the man a snarky grin, "what SHE said. That's my wife... DUDE. And she's not real big on guys not named _Me_ checking her out. So unless your ninja skills are up to par, I suggest you take the act on the road. And _definitely_ outta the pool."

The man looked angry but said nothing, hoisting himself out of the pool and making a hasty exit.

"Bye bye DUDE," Sarah said, waving as the man disappeared from view. "Daddy," she said to Tony, "he _bad_ man."

"Aw, he's not a bad man, Muffin," Tony replied. "Just a silly one. Forget about him. YOU know Mommy _only_ loves Daddy and Daddy _only_ loves Mommy."

Sarah kissed Tony's shoulder and said that she did.

"We play, Daddy?" Sarah asked.

"ALL afternoon," Tony replied, just before he yelled to Sarah that the submarine was going down, down, down!


	133. Hey Jealous Lover

Title: Hey Jealous Lover  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's jealous. Ziva's impressed.

**- Hey Jealous Lover -**

"So a man was checking me out?" Ziva asked, too amused to keep a little smile from playing at the corners of her mouth. "Was it that young, handsome man with the deep tan and the muscles, Tony?"

Tony growled audibly from where he lay, sunning himself in a deck chair beside Ziva's. Lowering his sunglasses to glare at her, he snarled before answering.

"Obviously, you were doing a little recon yourself, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said bitterly. "Sounds like the neighborhood pool meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society was going fine until I broke up the party." With that, he pushed his sunglasses back up, folded his arms across his chest and, pouting, looked towards the big beach towel on which Baby Jack and Sarah napped beneath a huge umbrella, shaded from the sun.

Ziva laughed and reached over, touching Tony's forearm. He quickly pulled away. Sighing, Ziva rolled her eyes and realized she would have to make up with her husband. Jealous Tony had come out to play.

"You are jealous, my love?" Ziva purred. Secretly, she enjoyed this little game of theirs. Tony would get jealous and pout, she would stroke his ego and say how sorry she was for hurting him, they would make up. There was nothing really new about it but it was fun. Also it never failed to end in amazing sex. Tony always felt as if he had to "reclaim" Ziva in bed, even though nothing was further from the truth. No other man had her attention. Or her heart.

"Jealous? Of what? Of that... BOY? HA!" Tony sneered, letting out a derisive snort.

"Yes, he was young, wasn't he?" Ziva teased. She knew just how far to string Tony along and he wasn't anywhere near where she wanted him. Yet. "Did you see him diving, Tony? It was... impressive."

"Glad you enjoyed the show," Tony snapped. "I missed it. Too busy playing with OUR baby girl. SHE wasn't 'impressed' with your young hottie. SHE let him have it."

"Did she?" Ziva found this touching, the idea of Sarah defending her. "And what did YOU say? To 'my young hottie'?"

Tony sniffed, frowning.

"Told him to hit the bricks," he said haughtily. "Said you were a one-man chick. That I'M the man." He pouted a little now. "Thought I was but it sounds like I've got competition. Maybe I oughta let the OLD Tony DiNozzo back out on the town, huh? Bet you wouldn't like that, would ya? I've still GOT it, y'know. And I'm even sexier now that I'm a daddy. That's what your last issue of _Cosmo_ said!" Ziva had to keep from laughing at how far Tony was sticking his bottom lip out. Baby Jack did the same thing when he was fussy.

But the game had gone on long enough. Ziva was ready for it to end. She was also looking forward to getting back to the house and being alone with Tony for the rest of the night. His mentioning _Cosmopolitan_ had given her an idea.

"Do you want to know what I was thinking while I watched 'my young hottie' diving, Tony?" Ziva whispered breathily into her husband's ear. Tony raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe," he said. Truthfully, he was getting turned on by the feel of Ziva's breath on his skin and the scent of her tanning lotion.

"He would never be... limber enough... to..." And then Ziva whispered something meant only for Tony, something that just the two of them knew they were capable of doing when making love. They'd given it a try after reading about it — in _Cosmopolitan_. And they'd both really, really liked it. Plus, found that they were really, really good at it. Tony sat straight up in the deck chair, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. "But YOU are, my little furry mutt," Ziva finished, smirking seductively at Tony. "I think we should go home and... practice," she said, licking her lips. "It would be a shame if we... found ourselves too out of shape to do... that."

"But I thought," Tony gulped, "finding ourselves... bent out of shape was the whole point of... that. It was the last time we did... that." Tony took a deep breath, remembering. "Took me a week to get my back muscles stretched out."

Ziva licked her teeth, grinning at Tony again, and laughed before getting up from her deck chair to check on Sarah and Jack.

"You do not have to remind me... my young hottie," Ziva said, winking at Tony before tenderly waking the children and telling them it was time to head home.


	134. All You Need Is Me

Title: All You Need Is Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None

Summary: Jealous Tony is replaced by someone worse: Smug Tony.

* * *

Ziva couldn't remember seeing Tony look quite so arrogant and smug before — and she'd seen him act that way many times before during the years they'd been partnered. But once they'd started dating, Tony's arrogant episodes had become so few and far between that Ziva had nearly forgotten how obnoxious he could be when he was feeling superior to everyone around him. Now Smug Tony had reared his giant, ego-swelled head again and Ziva was far from impressed.

"Well, Sweet Cheeks," Tony sneered, smirking as he lay back against his pillows, "was it good for you? 'Cause it was pretty AMAZIN' for me!" Grinning at the memory of how he'd just made love to Ziva for nearly an hour without interruption, Tony was thrilled as he basked in the afterglow of... his own afterglow. "Heh heh heh... Who's your daddy NOW, huh? Ha ha HAH! Let's see _Mister Muscles_ keep it goin' for 60 minutes! Bet he couldn't handle you for 60 SECONDS!" Tony sniffed, puffing out his chest as he rubbed the hair on it. "That's why you never send a boy to do a MAN'S job."

"I suppose _you_ are that man," Ziva sighed, wishing Tony would stop talking. She normally enjoyed their bedtime conversation but this was testing her limits.

"Damn _straight_," Tony boasted, placing his hands behind his head. He was proud of himself. "So... was it good for _you_, my insatiable ninja?"

Ziva would have also been savoring the moment, had she not started becoming so disgusted with her husband's attitude towards what she'd thought was special, precious, intimate time between the two of them.

"_Yes_, Tony," Ziva said, turning away from where she'd been snuggled against Tony's chest, "it was good for me." But Tony couldn't help noticing the lack of emotion in her voice. He frowned, wondering what was wrong.

"Doesn't _sound_ like it," Tony snorted, a little offended at Ziva's tone. "Sounds like I just spent an hour doin' _pushups_."

Now Ziva was just tired of this. And Tony's last comment pushed her over a limit she'd been forcing herself to hold.

"Perhaps I WOULD be able to ENJOY our lovemaking, TONY," Ziva snapped, "if YOU were NOT enjoying your own PERFORMANCE as much as you ARE!" Fuming, she threw off the covers and started to exit the bed. But Tony reached over, taking her arm to stop her.

"WAIT! NO! No!" he said, all the arrogance suddenly gone from his voice and expression. "No, Ziva... Don't... Don't go, OK? Stay... Please, baby... _Please_ stay. _Please?_" His green eyes, barely visible in the moonlight illuminating the room, pleaded with her. After a minute's hesitation, Ziva lay back down. Tony rolled over towards her, stroking her dark hair gently. "Honey, I'm sorry..." He sighed, looking more like the Tony that Ziva loved best — the one who was kind and sensitive but tried to hide that side of himself behind a cloak of showy arrogance. "I was just... I was _jealous_ of that jerk, that's all. He was eyeballin' you up and down, talking about how you looked in the bikini and... I didn't say _anything_, Ziva. Couldn't. Sarah was hangin' on me and I couldn't tell that creep off like I really _wanted_ to 'cause I didn't want HER hearin' me say... _bad_ words."

Tony looked down sheepishly, absentmindedly playing with the bedsheets. He looked forlorn, admitting that he hadn't been able to defend his wife against a man who was ogling her and making untoward comments about her. Ziva, however, was deeply touched by his honesty. Taking his hand in hers, she gave Tony a gentle kiss on the lips.

"You did not say anything to that man because you were worried about what _Sarah_ would think?" Ziva said softly. "Oh, you are such a wonderful father, Tony. And an incredible husband... in so _many_ ways." Kissing Tony again, this time more intimately, Ziva purred "I love you" before pulling him close against her. The sensation of his skin against hers awakened fresh desire within her and Tony responded in kind.

"I love you, too, baby," Tony groaned, barely able to get out the words as his mouth moved down Ziva's neck, his tongue caressing her bare shoulder. "_Crazy_ about you..."

"Prove it," Ziva teased, pressing against Tony.

"Got any plans?" Tony whispered into Ziva's ear.

"Not for the next hour," she moaned, pushing Tony down onto the bed with a devious smile.


	135. Wild About That Girl

Title: Wild About That Girl  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Daddy has competition for Sarah's affection.

* * *

"Hey, Snugglepumpkin!" Tony said, rousting a sleepy Sarah from her little bed, "Who wants to be Daddy's SPECIAL helper today when he goes to the hardware store, huh? I think I know a little Muffin Top who's _perfect_ for the job!" He grinned brightly at his baby girl, who yawned and rubbed her eyes. "First, boo-berry pancakes and THEN..."

"I not go, Daddy," Sarah said, snuggling back down into bed with Tony The Tiger. "I _play_ today."

"Oh, okay," Tony replied, looking a little sheepish. He'd really wanted Sarah to go to the hardware store with him and she usually never missed the chance to ride in the Mustang for the short trip. None of the other Saturday regulars brought their baby girls with them but Tony always brought Sarah, who knew her tools better than the boys who accompanied their fathers (thanks in large part to Gibbs). And Tony took real pride in showing off his daughter, who was a charmer. "Guess Daddy's gonna have to buy a new tool ALL alone..." Tony sighed dramatically, hoping that Sarah would change her mind. But instead she just yawned again and pulled her covers over her little mop of curls.

_Wonder why she doesn't wanna go?_ Tony thought, grimacing. He hated the idea of shopping alone.

Eyeing Baby Jack, Tony figured he'd suit up his son and take him instead. Jack had never been to the hardware store with Tony yet in his young life and perhaps it was time he got his first taste of the ongoing Saturday tradition. Jack, who was wide awake, played quietly in his crib with his Moo and Blackie The Bull. Blackie and the Moo were butting heads and making little "Rrrrr" sounds, which was how Jack liked it. Sarah always made them kiss, causing Jack to holler in protest whenever he saw such an atrocity; he didn't want his toys being in love.

"Alright, buddy, looks like it's just _you_ 'n' _me_ headin' to Tool Town today," Tony said happily as he reached down to pick up Jack from his crib. Jack frowned, looking up at his daddy, and let out a scream to wake the dead. Sarah popped up out of bed, startled; McFlea and Shep, who'd been snoozing, woke suddenly and whimpered.

"Or not," Tony answered, trying to shush Jack, who was clearly unhappy.

_Doesn't ANYONE wanna go shopping with me?_ he wondered. Sniffing at his underarms quickly, he surmised that since he didn't smell bad that couldn't be the reason the babies were rejecting him.

"Daddy, you... you... _Daddy?_" Sarah, who was still learning the art of complete sentences and thoughts — something of a task, seeing as how she was also learning new words, too — tried to tell Tony how to calm her baby brother. But she needed a minute to get it right. "Daddy, Jack Jack go... go bed _here_." Sarah scampered to the foot of her bed so she could lean over to get a closer look at Jack. "OK, Jack Jack?" she asked sweetly. Baby Jack said "GAH!" and clapped his hands. "He go bed _here_, Daddy. He happy," Sarah told Tony rather matter-of-factly.

So Tony plucked Baby Jack (and his Moo and Blackie) from the crib and tucked them all in with Sarah and the rest of the Zoo. Some rearranging was necessary but everyone found a place to snuggle in the bed. Still, Tony was a little worried that Jack might fall out of the bed and, giving Sarah and Jack a worried look, he tarried while fixing their covers.

"It OK, Daddy," Sarah reassured Tony, sensing that her daddy wasn't happy about Jack being out of his crib. She gave her baby brother a serious look, saying, "You STAY, Jack Jack. It _sleepy_ time! We not play now." Baby Jack solemnly said "gah," yawned and closed his little green eyes, smacking his lips. Now he was tired again and ready for a nap, having been awake all of about 15 minutes. "See, Daddy?" Sarah whispered as Jack drifted off. "It OK. He like _ME_ now."

And Tony realized that his baby girl was right. Her little infant brother DID like her — which was a good thing. She wanted to stay home and play with him all day and he was looking forward to doing the same with her. There would be many other days for a trip to Tool Town and they'd want to come along with Daddy, Tony knew, but today his babies were in the mood to be sister and brother. It was something he, too, wished to see.

_Aw, I was looking for a way to get out of fixing Ziva's stupid weedeater anyway,_ Tony thought to himself, grinning at his snoring progeny as he quietly headed to the kitchen to whip up some pancakes for his family.


	136. My Immortal

Title: My Immortal  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Memorial Day is special for Team DiNozzo.

* * *

Despite the muggy heat of the morning, both Sarah and Baby Jack were calm, quiet and still. Small as they were, both understood that something important was happening around them and they knew they should be really, really good.

Baby Jack, sitting in Tony's lap, wore a special little onesie that Ziva had picked out just for this day. It was white and on the chest was a drawing of the American flag in brilliant red, white and blue. Jack Jack also wore a tiny dark blue ballcap reading "NCIS" to keep the sun off his little head, which was quickly becoming less and less bald as he sprouted more and more reddish-blond hair each day. As he waited for the ceremony to begin, Jack played with the tiny American flag he held in his hands.

Tony and Ziva, so proud of their babies, shared a tender look. They'd been talking about adding to their family and were just about ready to begin. Moments like this reminded them why they were so glad they'd gotten married and had children. Abby and McGee, sitting beside their friends, also shared a knowing look. They'd been talking about whether Tony and Ziva would have a boy or girl next time.

And Sarah was paying particular attention to the Marines preparing for the ceremony. She had a special place in her little heart for Marines. Their crisp blue, white and red uniforms made them look important and Sarah liked that about them. Also she knew that Boss Boss had been a Marine and she loved Boss Boss more than anyone in the world, except for her Mommy, Daddy and Jack Jack (and the family dogs). Today, Sarah wore a pretty little light blue sundress with tiny American flag emblems stitched on it; she and Mommy had picked it out together at the store and she'd gotten to show it to Daddy and Jack Jack when they got home. This morning, Boss Boss had told her it was the prettiest dress he'd seen on any little girl; Sarah blushed and gave him a big hug and kiss.

Sitting in Boss Boss' lap, Sarah felt proud to be around so many important people. She was mostly happy that Boss Boss was there, too. But like Boss Boss, she was solemn as he pointed out what was happening and why. Sarah knew that this was a special day for Boss Boss and people like him so she was paying close attention to every word, just as she would during the entire Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Later, back at Tony and Ziva's house, Tony and McGee battled over who would man the grill ("MY house, MY McGrill!" Tony argued) while Ziva and Abby relaxed by watching the guys' theatrics. Baby Jack played with McFlea and Shep in the yard, squeaking with joy as the dogs tackled him, licking his little face. KittyKate, keeping cool in the shade, enjoyed the scene, flicking her tail. Jimmy was on the way with Ducky, who'd whipped up a delightful dessert just for the occasion.

Sarah and Gibbs sat together in the backyard swing under the big oak tree. With his feet, Gibbs rocked the swing gently back and forth, remembering Memorial Days with his own family from years prior. They would cook out, just like the other families, but the day was never viewed as a party or three-day weekend. Shannon wouldn't have it; Memorial Day was for remembering America's fallen soldiers who'd sacrificed, she always reminded Kelly, and that was what everyone should appreciate. But those soldiers made it possible for them to enjoy the freedom to burn Cowboy Steaks, she'd tease, like Daddy was doing over at the grill. Kelly would laugh and laugh at that one, Gibbs recalled.

"Boss Boss?" Sarah asked softly, resting her little head against Gibbs' chest.

"Yeah?" Gibbs replied.

"Tank you," Sarah said. "You good Mawine."

Kissing the top of Sarah's mop of curls, Gibbs grinned and pulled her up into his arms. He whispered something in her ear that made her giggle and then told her that it was about time they showed Daddy and Uncle Timmy how Cowboy Steaks were properly burned, wasn't it?


	137. Better Together

Title: Better Together  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: PB&J. Rum & Coke. Love & Marriage.

* * *

"You don't miss being single, DiNozzo? Hell, man, you used to OWN this town! Your bedpost had so many notches on it there wasn't enough wood left for the termites, dude."

Tony sipped at his beer while his old buddy from the NCIS FLETC days went on about how he'd gotten soft, gone from Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo to Daddy DiNozzo, and it was "kinda sad to see."

"Sad when the great ones lose it, Tony," his pal said. "You were a LEGEND at Flite-C, DiNozzo! Guys were building little shrines to you! The new recruits still talk about your Night Of Five Babes! Now all YOU talk about is your nights CHANGING babies. What HAPPENED to you, man?"

Downing the last of his cold beer, Tony turned his mug over to signal the bartender that he was finished for the night. His friend looked aghast.

"ONE BEER? WHAT THE HELL, DiNOZZO?" The friend stared at Tony, eyeing him as if he were some kind of odd creature or space alien. "Do you have to hand over your pair as part of the marriage ceremony? Is that part of the deal?"

After spending the better part of another hour listening to his former carousing buddy ramble on about their good old days of chasing skirts and getting hammered at their old haunts, Tony at last said his goodbyes, patting his old pal on the shoulder, paid for both of their beers and headed home. The FLETC buddy watched, bleary-eyed, as Tony made his way out of the bar.

_Damn shame,_ the man thought. _He used to be cool._ Then, signaling the bartender, the man ordered a shot of Jägermeister and did his best to pick up a hot blonde half his age, utterly failing in the effort.

* * *

Opening the door to his living room, Tony found Ziva in her usual place on the sofa, reading a mystery novel, while Sarah and Baby Jack played either Zoo (Sarah's game) or Jungle (Jack's) as McFlea and Shep nosed around the assortment of stuffed animals littering the floor. Everything was comfortably familiar to Tony — just about the same as it was every time he came home from a Boys' Night Out — and he paused a minute to take in the little scene before him.

"DADDY!"

Sarah jumped up from where she'd been "marrying" Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe (again) and, running as fast as her little legs would carry her, greeted Tony with a huge hug around his knees. Baby Jack, who wanted to run at full speed but hadn't yet learned how to do so — or, really, how to walk — crawled over to his father quickly. The dogs pricked up their ears, tails a-wag.

"Mommy! Daddy home!" Sarah yelled happily to Ziva, who looked up from her book and offered her husband a wink.

"So he is," Ziva said gently. "Did you have a good time with your friend, Tony?"

"Nah, not really," Tony answered, kneeling to hoist Jack into his arms as Sarah took his hand, leading him to the couch. "We didn't have anything to talk about."

"I am sorry to hear that," Ziva said, taking Jack from Tony. Jack nestled his head against his mother's shoulder. Sarah snuggled into Tony's lap, resting her head on his chest as she patted his little gut tenderly.

"Don't be," Tony sighed. McFlea and Shep padded over, lying right on Tony's feet. "So what's new in the Zoo?" Tony asked Sarah. Ziva grinned at him. Baby Jack, worn out from a day of napping, eating and playing, dozed in his mother's arms.

In broken ToddlerSpeak, Sarah did her best to let her Daddy know that Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe were weally, weally, WEALLY married this time and even if Jack Jack tried to feed Jenny to Shep, which was BAD, Jenny was still the Zoo Queen and she wasn't scared of a little BAD boy who roared like a lion because she saw how he cried when Mommy made him take a big big shot at the doctor office. Dogs didn't WEALLY like to eat Raff Raffs, did they? Sarah quite seriously asked her daddy. Tony told his baby girl that he guessed they probably didn't but they weren't sure what to do when lion boys were trying to feed them giraffes. Maybe the best thing a TigerSarah could do was to be sweet to a ShepLion and just take the Raff away from him nice and gentle, huh?

Sarah said that was OK but the lion boy STILL needed a bath because he was stinky now. Tony said he'd look into it as soon as the King of the Jungle stopped drooling all over Mommy's shirt and woke up. And Mommy laughed.


	138. How Soon Is Now?

Title: How Soon Is Now?  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: That's what Tony wants to know.

* * *

The silence disturbed Ziva. It wasn't natural. Not in her house. Not even at bedtime. And certainly not from Tony.

"You are thinking, Tony," Ziva commented, not bothering to glance over towards where her husband lay on his side of the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Instead, she continued concentrating on her mystery novel. By now, she'd figured out that the dental assistant was the serial killer but she wanted to see how the author would have the characters pull it all together.

"Yes, I am," Tony answered absentmindedly. His green eyes were fixed on the ceiling area right above him.

"I do not like it when you think," Ziva said nonchalantly. "It means you are making plans and when you make plans, there is usually a call to the insurance company that follows." Her brown eyes moved steadily as she took in the words of her mystery. Finishing one page, she flipped to the next.

"We should have another baby. Soon," Tony replied softly.

This got Ziva's attention but she forced herself to keep reading.

"We agreed to wait until Jack is older," Ziva reminded Tony, not unkindly. She wanted more children but also wanted to wait a while.

"I know," Tony said in a quiet voice, "but I like us having babies together, Ziva. We make great babies, don't you think?"

"Absolutely," Ziva agreed, a smile playing at her lips as she now pretended to read. Her mind, though, was on future babies. "And we will make more, Tony."

"Soon?" Tony asked, really wanting to know if it was true.

"Soon," Ziva promised, really meaning it.


	139. That Says It All

Title: That Says It All  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None

Summary: Baby Jack says his first word. Sort of.

* * *

"Dada."

The little word popped out of Baby Jack's mouth so suddenly, so unexpectedly that Tony, flipping pancakes at the stove, forgot to replace the pan under the cakes. The tasty discs fell to the floor where a ready McFlea and Shep quickly gobbled them up.

"ZIVA!" Tony yelled, too excited to really think about the consequences of waking up his still-sleeping wife and Sarah. "GET IN HERE! THE BABY JUST SAID HIS FIRST WORD!" Then, rushing over to where Jack sat in his high chair, Tony took a seat at the kitchen table and squinted, his green eyes peering directly into those of his little baby son. "Say it again, Jack. Say your BIG word!" Tony flashed Baby Jack a dazzling smile.

Jack stared back at him, confused, waited another few seconds, looked over at the dogs and repeated his new word.

"Dada."

"ZEEEEEEEEEEVAAAAAAAAAAH!" Tony bellowed again, knocking over the chair he'd been sitting in when he jumped up and did a little "victory" dance around the kitchen, "HURRY UP AND GET YOUR SWEET CHEEKS OUTTA THE BED, SWEET CHEEKS, 'CAUSE..."

"I heard you the FIRST time, Tony," Ziva groused sleepily from where she stood watching her husband doing a little dance move next to the refrigerator. McFlea and Shep, ashamed of their master, padded quickly away from their post by the stove. No fallen pancakes were worth witnessing this. They hid behind Ziva. Baby Jack, now wide-eyed with fear, hollered out in protest as his daddy shook his booty and snapped his fingers. "You are scaring the baby," Ziva noted, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She had to fight for space as Tony danced with joy around her. The dogs lay at the far end of the kitchen, not daring to approach.

"He's not scared," Tony said, shaking it back to the stove to mix up more pancake batter. "Now that he's got his first word down — and wait 'til you HEAR it, my ninja — he's practically a man now, aren't you, Jack?" Sticking out his tongue jokingly in Jack's direction, Tony waggled his eyebrows at his boy. Jack stared back at him and then let out a yell so loud the dogs ran full-tilt back to the nursery for cover. "Then again, my lambada could use some work," Tony muttered, cringing at the sound of Jack's ear-piercing scream.

After a few minutes of silence (and aural recovery), Baby Jack had calmed down and felt like once again trying out his vocabulary.

"Dada."

"See?" Tony asked giddily, setting a plate of hot pancakes in front of Ziva and Jack. "SEE? His FIRST word, Ziva! DAH-DAH!" Tony beamed with pride. "Dada. That's my boy." Ziva grinned back at him.

"It is a Kojak moment, indeed," she agreed, taking a sip of coffee.

"KODAK moment," Tony corrected. "Nobody has KOJAK moments except Telly Savalas and he's been sucking lollipops with St. Peter for years now! I thought you were comin' along with this, honey." Tony sighed, giving Ziva a mock 'stern' look. "We'll have to keep workin' on it." Ziva rolled her eyes, smirking, and got up to pour herself a second cup of coffee.

Yawning, Sarah toddled into the kitchen with the dogs creeping behind her. Crawling up to her usual seat beside Baby Jack, she propped Tony The Tiger on the table and eyed the plate of pancakes. Ziva reached into the refrigerator for some milk.

"Hey, Snugglepumpkin," Tony said tenderly, "thought we said 'No tigers at the table,' huh? Remember? Pinky Promise?" Sarah yawned again and started to remove her favorite toy so Ziva could place a glass of milk by her plate.

Baby Jack reached for Tony — the Tiger.

"Dada."

Tony — the Not-Tiger — did a double-take, hearing this. Ziva giggled. Sarah shook her little mop of bedhead curls at her baby brother.

"He TIGUH, Jack Jack. He not DADA," she corrected, placing Tony The Tiger in her lap.

"DADA!" Baby Jack insisted, frowning, as he pounded his palms on his high chair. He wanted to play with Tony The Tiger.

"THAT Dada!" Sarah barked at Jack, pointing to Tony the Not-Tiger. She was frustrated with trying to explain things to Baby Jack. "Dis TI-GUH!"

Now angry himself, Baby Jack looked to his mother for help.

"MAMA!" he yelped, pouting as he glared directly at Ziva.

"She is right, Jack," Ziva said calmly, sipping her coffee, "That is a tiger. HE," she indicated, nodding in Tony's direction, "is your Dada."

Baby Jack, clearly unhappy with the explanation, frowned at Tony from across the table. He stuck out his lower lip sullenly.

"Dada," Jack said as if it were an epithet. Tony looked crestfallen.

"He has been calling everything in the house 'Dada' all week," Ziva said, a conciliatory look on her pretty face. "I was hoping that he WAS talking about you, Tony."

"Yeah, well..." Tony sighed. His heart was broken. "The pancakes are gettin' cold."

"Papa?"

Jack's little voice broke the uneasy quiet. This time his green eyes were clearly fixed right on his father. There was no mistaking it. Tony smiled sheepishly back at his son. Ziva grinned warmly. Sarah squeaked with glee, clapping.

"PAPA!"

"Papa! PAPA! Ha HAH!" Tony yelled joyously, leaping out of his chair. "That's RIGHT, Jack Jack! Who's your PAPA? THIS GUY! Papa! PAPA! YESSSSSSS!"

Now that Baby Jack had it all figured out, Tony plopped pancakes onto everyone's plates, made sure they were properly buttered and syruped and then... launched into his lambada.

"See what you have started? And he also knows the Macarena," Ziva said to Baby Jack, who covered his eyes with his tiny hands.


	140. Arms Wide Open

Title: Arms Wide Open  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: It's Father's Day.

* * *

Baby Jack wasn't sick, as far as Tony could tell, but he wouldn't stop crying. Ziva had started to get up with Jack but Tony told her to stay in bed, get her sleep. She got up with the baby more than he did and this time, he figured, it was his turn to see to his son. So Tony lifted Jack carefully out of his little crib, cradled him to his chest and, taking a seat in the rocking chair Gibbs had handcrafted for Sarah long ago, gently rocked Baby Jack back and forth in his arms until Jack's cries turned to sobs and then the sobs to little sighs and the sighs to nothing more than Baby Jack patting tenderly at his father's chest.

"Jack Jack OK, Daddy?" Sarah asked softly, yawning as she sat up in her bed. She pulled Jenny Giraffe close to her with one hand while rubbing at one of her eyes with the other. Sarah had been sound asleep but the sound of Jack's cries roused her. She was worried about her baby brother.

"He's fine, Muffin," Tony whispered, winking back at Sarah. Her elephant nightlight cast just enough of a pinkish light in the room so that she could see her father rocking Jack to sleep. Sarah hugged Jenny Giraffe, yawned again, and smiled sleepily at her daddy and Baby Jack, who was now dozing.

McFlea and Shep, also awakened by Jack's crying, padded over to sniff out whatever was wrong. But they were both scared of the rocking chair — McFlea had a particularly painful incident as a puppy involving the rocker and his tail — so they backed off and leapt up onto Sarah's bed to watch the goings-on. Tony narrowed his eyes at McFlea, who knew he and his little son weren't allowed on Sarah's bed. But since Jack was almost asleep again, Tony let it go.

_Sneaky McMutt,_ he thought, eyeing his dog, who he loved (and treated) like a son. _No more extra Puppy Puffs for YOU for a week, pal! OR for the Wee McFlea._

Just then, Tony noticed KittyKate, who he hadn't known was in the nursery or, for that matter, the house, taking a nice, long stretch before she slowly slunk towards the rocker. She didn't fear it at all, its tail-crushing abilities not even fazing her. KittyKate wasn't afraid of anything, really.

_Damn cat,_ Tony thought, snarling as the thin black cat leapt onto his lap — which she knew he didn't like. _She's got a home of her own right next door. What's she doin' HERE again?_

KittyKate settled down, snuggling against Baby Jack. Jack woke momentarily, murmured "Dada" and pulled KittyKate to him. Normally she disliked being pulled towards anybody except Abby, Ziva or Sarah but she had a soft spot for Baby Jack and purred as he cuddled her to him like a toy. "Dada," he said again to KittyKate, causing Sarah to giggle and Tony to roll his eyes and sigh. Everything was "Dada" to Jack — except his REAL "Dada."

Now that Jack was calm, Tony rose and started to put him back in his crib. But Jack held fast to KittyKate; he wanted his special friend to sleep in the crib, too, and KittyKate was fine with the idea. Tony wasn't, however, and stood, arms folded over his chest, staring down at Baby Jack and KittyKate as they snuggled in Jack's crib. "Dada," Jack cooed to KittyKate, who purred lovingly back at him.

"Oh, just let it go tonight. She calms him, Tony."

Ziva slid her arms around Tony's waist, hugging him from behind. He caught her hands with his, sighing.

"She's enjoying this, y'know," Tony said softly, watching Jack and KittyKate snoozing. "Making me crazy by having that damn cat, who HATES me, love our son to pieces. AND our daughter. AND our dogs. AND you too."

"Who is enjoying it?" Ziva asked, a little confused.

"Kate," Tony said, smirking. "Figures she'd have that cat pop over here on Father's Day to make sure my son got his first chance to really show his old man who's boss."

Ziva chuckled.

"And that would be...?"

"You, my ninja," Tony replied, rubbing Ziva's hands.

"Happy Father's Day, Daddy," Ziva said, giving Tony a little kiss on the shoulder. Sarah and the dogs were now asleep again, as were KittyKate and Jack. After she'd given Tony another little peck on the shoulder, Ziva asked, "Would you like one of your gifts — from me — right now, my little furry mutt? It is... not one I can give you in front of the children." Now Ziva kissed Tony's shoulderblade. He shuddered at her touch.

"Then it must not be a tie," Tony said huskily as Ziva led him out of the nursery towards their bedroom.


	141. So Jealous

Title: So Jealous  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Jealous Tony wreaks havoc (again).

* * *

Ziva had tromped out of the house, babies in tow, after what Tony said. So Tony was somewhat alone now, his only company being McFlea and little Shep, who lay watching his every move — or lack thereof. Fuming as he sat in his recliner, Tony hadn't moved a muscle since he'd stormed into the living room from the kitchen. His beer, once ice cold, now dripped condensation onto his hand.

"Oh sure," Tony muttered, snarling, "Blame ME because I have the stones to tell off a creep who's checkin' you out at the supermarket!" Lifting his beer to take a long swig, Tony continued his one-sided conversation with Ziva, who wasn't there to answer. "I'M THE BAD GUY HERE? HOW'S THAT WORK, HUH?" After another pull on his beer, Tony directed his question to his dogs. "HUH?"

McFlea sat up and, with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, pricked up his ears to show that he was listening even if he couldn't really supply an answer. All he could offer Tony was a sympathetic little whine, which Shep, who wanted to do everything his father did, quickly echoed.

"Tell me about it," Tony replied unhappily, playing with the label on the beer bottle. "And she's all bent outta shape now and sayin' I'm too jealous. Too JEALOUS? Has she looked in a MIRROR lately? Of COURSE I'm JEALOUS!" Glowering at the thought of the stranger at the market ogling Ziva, Tony gulped down his beer.

Shep, who hadn't seen Tony in one of his angriest moods, crept towards his master and tried to jump up into his lap. McFlea, who was used to Tony's occasional fits of jealousy, barked at his tiny son, trying to warn him against bothering his "grandfather." But Shep wanted to make Tony happy again and so he pawed at Tony's leg, hoping to be picked up.

Sighing, Tony lifted Shep onto his lap and patted the little black puppy gently. McFlea, himself encouraged by this turn of events, jumped onto Tony's lap. Unfortunately, he stepped onto a tender area of Tony's anatomy with his giant paws, causing his master to holler out in pain.

"You deserved that," Ziva remarked from where she stood watching from the kitchen doorway.

"Did not," Tony whimpered, defiantly adding, "and I'm in enough pain as it is without you piling on."

"Well, it is TOO BAD, Tony!" Ziva sniffed haughtily. "You started all of this by acting like a jealous fool at the market. So I am NOT sorry for adding insult to your injury!"

"OK, listen, Sweet Cheeks, the phrase is..." Tony began, "... wait. That's right." He looked shocked. Ziva smirked back at him.

"Of course it is," Ziva said smugly. "I hammered it."

Tony sighed.

"Nailed it, my ninja. You nailed it." Tony got up to grab another beer, hauling Shep with him under his arm. McFlea followed along behind, worried about his son's safety. As Tony opened the refrigerator, taking out a beer, he looked straight at Ziva. "Y'know, I'm tired of fighting. Can't we just call it a day and let this go?" Looking miserable, Tony plodded back into the living room and flopped down into his chair. Ziva soon joined him, curling up on the couch.

"Admit you were being jealous for no reason," Ziva said. "Then I will let it go."

"Oh, I was jealous," Tony agreed. "But not for no reason. That guy was after you. And you were pushin' around a shopping cart with a baby in it. Who DOES that?"

"I can remember a man who used to brag about such... endeavors," Ziva replied, giving Tony a pointed look. He growled back at her.

"Fair enough," Tony snarled, "but all those chicks were SINGLE when I gave 'em the hairy eyeball. They weren't wearin' wedding rings. I never dated married women. Never, Ziva. I respect marriage — even more now that WE'RE married." Tony paused. "Also, who knows what he was thinking about Jack? When I asked out those single moms, I was fine with the babies going on our dates. I love babies. Especially OUR babies."

Ziva rolled her eyes, grinning. Moments like this got her falling in love with Tony all over again.

"Fine... FINE, Tony! I will make an admission of my own... At times, I think it is... sexy... when you get jealous of me," Ziva said. "No man has ever been so possessive of me — besides my father. And that is... obviously, not quite the same."

Tony chuckled.

"Guess not," he agreed. "Aw, baby, you know I love you. You're beautiful. Just makes me crazy when guys look at you... y'know... the way that I look at you."

"But they are not looking at me the way you look at me, Tony," Ziva corrected softly. "They do not love me. YOU do. That is the difference. And I understand. I love you, too."

"Then since there's so much love in the air, we oughta..." Tony started. But he stopped, hearing McFlea's cries and barks coming at top volume from the kitchen. "The hell's that McMutt yappin' about?"

"TONY! Oh my GOD!" Ziva exclaimed, bolting for the kitchen with Tony fast on her heels.

Yanking open the refrigerator, Ziva pulled out a chilled Shep as McFlea barked in panic. But little Shep didn't seem upset by his short stay in the icebox. He licked his jowls with glee, the half-eaten remnants of pork chops, corn on the cob and Sarah's leftover brownie greeting Tony and Ziva.

Setting Shep down on the floor so McFlea could lick him back to warmth, Ziva giggled as Tony removed the food, tossing it in the wastebasket, berating himself for his stupidity.

"Stop that," Ziva teased. "And let's turn in early tonight, hm? We have plenty of making up to do, my love." Tony smiled, trailing Ziva to the bedroom.

Later that evening, as they held each other closely, Tony and Ziva whispered promises and special secrets known only to the two of them as they snuggled between the sheets. All was back to normal between them and they were, as they always had been, deeply and truly in love. Nothing could ruin the perfection of the moment for them...

... until a little pained cry came from the kitchen.

"Where my BWOWNIE?"


	142. Daddy's Little Girl

Title: Daddy's Little Girl  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Sarah's growing up. Fast.

* * *

When Tony got home from the auto parts store, he was in a positively giddy mood. Besides having found a much-needed vintage part for the Mustang, he'd gotten it half-price.

"Ziva! ZEEEEEEEE-VAAAAAAAH!" he hollered gleefully, slamming the front door behind him. "SWEET CHEEKS! You gotta come see my knob!"

Taking the gearshift knob out of its package, Tony admired it in the same way he had Sarah and Jack when they were babies. He was that smitten.

"Aw, BABY, c'mon! It's a thing of BEAUTY!" Mumbling to himself, Tony went on, chattering directly to the little hard plastic knob itself: "I'd marry you if I could but, sadly, I'm already taken. And she doesn't like to share."

"Also," Ziva said nonchalantly from where she'd snuck up behind her husband, "I think such a union is illegal in this and EVERY other state, Tony." Tony, embarrassed that Ziva had caught him in such a private — and, frankly, shameful — moment, flinched. Then he snarled.

"I was kiddin', my little Speed Racer," he shot back playfully, his face red, "except about that sharing part. You don't, y'know, share. Not the good coffee... the snacks... those leftovers you take to work for lunch... the brownies you and Sarah bake..."

"YOU do not NEED any more coffee, snacks, leftovers or brownies!" Ziva replied, raising an eyebrow as she let her brown eyes settle on Tony's little gut. "WHEN you start asking me for carrot sticks, vegetables and water with you, then yes — I will be happy to share with you."

Tony made a "yuck" face and stuck out his tongue.

"Vetabuhs GOOD, Daddy," Sarah commented, skipping through the room on her way to the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator door, she took out a tupperware bowl of carrot sticks and carefully set them on the dining table. Then she looked back down the hallway towards the nursery and called out at the top of her little lungs "MAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWW-CUUUUUUUSSSS!"

Tony looked confused.

"Huh?" he asked Ziva, nodding in Sarah's direction. "What'd she say? Or yell, I mean?"

"She was calling Marcus to the table," Ziva answered in a tone that suggested Tony should have known what was going on. Tony frowned; he didn't know any Marcus.

"Who's Marcus?" he asked.

"MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWW-CUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSS!" Sarah hollered again, crossing her little arms. She was getting impatient. Tony cringed at the sound of Sarah's uncharacteristic yelling. Jack's hollering he'd somewhat gotten used to but his baby girl rarely ever raised her voice. This was new.

"I coming, Sawah!"

A little boy's voice came from the nursery and Tony immediately realized that it wasn't Jack's. Jack couldn't form sentences yet. Or do much of anything but scream and pound his fists to make a point.

"You get Jack Jack, OK?" Sarah directed, taking her usual place at the table.

Tony and Ziva watched as a handsome little chocolate-skinned boy in a t-shirt and shorts led Baby Jack into the kitchen.

"Hewwo," he said politely to Tony and Ziva. Ziva smiled tenderly at him as she elbowed Tony, hinting that he should do likewise.

"Hello, Marcus," Ziva replied kindly. "Sarah has decided on carrot sticks today. Do you like those?"

"Yet ma... maa... ma'am," Marcus said in toddler-speak. Like Sarah, he was still working on getting his words right.

"Dis my Daddy, Mawcus," Sarah told her little friend, indicating Tony. "Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, Snugglepumpkin," Tony replied. "Hi there, Marcus."

"Hewwo," Marcus said shyly, smiling. He and Sarah giggled. Baby Jack grabbed for a carrot stick, shoving it into his mouth.

"When did we get another kid?" Tony whispered to Ziva.

"Marcus and his family have just moved down the street," she explained. "He and Sarah are in daycare together and today he is here for a playdate."

"We pwaying Zoo," Sarah, who never missed anything, told Tony.

"I'm a panthuh," Marcus said. "She a tiguh."

"Jack Jack a lion," Sarah finished, handing Marcus a carrot stick before taking one for herself.

"I see," Tony replied, winking at Ziva. "A pack of hungry jungle cats are prowling the kitchen, seeking sustenance. Hide the dogs, Sweet Cheeks. They're outnumbered."

After a short while, the babies finished their snack and headed back towards the nursery to continue their play. But Sarah lingered behind to give her daddy a kiss.

"So Marcus is your new friend, huh?" Tony asked, grinning. "That's good. He's a good friend."

"He my boy... boy... boyfwen," Sarah said nonchalantly before skipping off down the hallway. Tony flinched, stunned at his daughter's words.

"Boyfriend? BOYFRIEND?" Tony repeated, his green eyes wide with shock. "SHE'S NOT EVEN TWO YET AND SHE'S TALKING BOYFRIENDS?"

"The tree really does not fall far from its apple, does it?" Ziva asked, smirking, just before Tony shot her a dirty look and headed for the master bedroom to sulk, complaining of a sudden headache.


	143. 4th of July

Title: 4th Of July  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: How Team DiNozzo celebrated Independence Day.

* * *

Sarah ran through the backyard in her red, white and blue sundress blowing bubbles into the air, McFlea hot on her heels. From a safe distance under the big shade tree, Baby Jack and Shep watched; they were feeling lazy and were perfectly content to sit on the quilt Ziva had spread under the large limbs and watch all the action happening around them. The Zoo also enjoyed a day outside. Jenny Giraffe wore a special red, white and blue bow on her head that Ziva had carefully attached. Sarah wanted her to look especially pretty for the day. Tony The Tiger sported a little American flag that was pinned to his tail. Tony The Non-Tiger had spent quite a bit of time making sure it would stay on since it had to meet Sarah's approval.

Over at the grill, Tony sniffed manfully at the smoky air. He was proud that he'd managed to somehow get all of the hamburgers and hot dogs onto the grill at one time, which meant everyone could spend the afternoon snacking at will instead of having to continually throw food onto the fire. And by "everyone," Tony really meant himself. He was eager to beat his own four hot dog / three hamburger record from the previous July 4th cookout and had skipped breakfast so that he'd be extra-hungry and able to stuff himself when the time came. He dreamed of someday challenging Joey Chestnut in a hot dog-eating contest. _I could take him,_ Tony thought.

Ziva, meanwhile, had prepared the perfect Independence Day cocktail based on Abby's recipe. Or at least she thought she'd gotten it right. She'd sent Tony to the store with the list of ingredients and, as usual, he'd started snacking in the fruit section and, having no napkin to wipe his hands on, had used the list. So by the time he'd gone to pick up the cocktail mixers, the ink was smeared and, well, maybe some things had been guessed at. That was Tony's explanation, anyway. Ziva wasn't entirely certain if she'd just made a Yankee Doodle Brandy but she figured she'd find out soon enough.

After a little while, the day's special guest arrived and, as Tony hustled to remove some extra-crispy hot dogs from the grill, Gibbs plonked down a huge steak onto the hot iron. KittyKate, who'd hitched a ride on his shoulder, flicked her tail and mewled at Tony as he placed a hot dog into a bun, smothering it with mustard.

"Mind your own business. I'll eat what I want to, Kate," Tony said icily, snarling at KittyKate. "Damn cat," he muttered to himself, shoving the blackened hot dog into his mouth.

"Don't forget to chew, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, rolling his eyes as he headed over to join Ziva for a cocktail.

"Mmmph..." Tony gulped, smacking as he gobbled his snack. "Mwon it, Bwoss!"


	144. Come Sail Away

Title: Come Sail Away  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of Rum Tum Tony...

* * *

Pinning Ziva down onto the bed, Tony hovered over her, his lips tantalizingly close to hers. She could feel the heat of his breath on her skin, which pleased her. Obviously, it was having the same effect on him as well. This, she could also feel.

"You," he whispered breathily, "have been cruel, my lady. And now, you shall pay for being such a ... lusty wench!"

Hearing this, Ziva couldn't help but giggle. Tony's theatrics never failed to amuse her, even in the most intimate moments.

"I am a lusty wench?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she gazed up at Tony, her brown eyes meeting his tender green stare.

"Aye, ye are," Tony replied in his best 'pirate' voice. "Ye must be tamed — and by a buccaneer who has the sea legs to handle the job."

"You are this man, I presume. How will you... 'tame' me..." Ziva paused, thinking. "What was your name again?"

"Captain Tony Sharkstooth, The Black Pirate," Tony said innocently, a little saddened that Ziva didn't remember. "I just TOLD you, Sweet Cheeks."

"Ah, yes," Ziva answered, her eyes widening. She smiled and chuckled, then got a mock 'serious' look on her face before pleading, "Please, Captain Sharkstooth... Be gentle with me. It is my first time with a... pirate."

Tony took in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. He was beside himself with desire.

"Do exactly as I say, my lovely," he said huskily into Ziva's ear, "and I'll not make ye... walk my plank."

"And if I wish to explore the plank?" Ziva teased.

"Then I fear I shall have to lash you to my mast — for your own safety," Tony groaned, peppering Ziva's neck with hot little kisses.

"May I help you sheath your sword, Sir Tony?" Now Ziva was fully involved in the game, enjoying her role.

"P-P-Please..." Tony gulped.

Just then, Ziva flipped Tony onto his back, stunning him. He lay prone beneath her, gasping for air as she straddled him. Tossing back her long, dark mane of curly near-black hair, Ziva laughed as she traced an indistinct pattern in Tony's chest hair. From him, Ziva took the little black pirate hat Tony had "borrowed" from Sarah's room. Since she, Jack and the dogs were spending the weekend with Gibbs, Tony had joked that the Littlest Pirate wouldn't mind. Fitting the hat onto her head, Ziva raised an eyebrow as she smirked down at her husband. He grinned back up at her, his face sweaty.

"The tables have tripped, Sharkstooth," Ziva purred sexily, rubbing Tony's chest. "I will now take charge."

"A mutiny on MY bounty!" Tony gasped. "Oh, you're a crafty one, you are, you landlubbing little..."

"Careful how you address me," Ziva teasingly threatened, throwing back her hair again. "I am captain. Which makes you..."

Tony snarled, then looked up wide-eyed at Ziva. His breath came in quick gasps. He shuddered, realizing his fate.

"... the lusty wench?" Tony asked, whimpering. Ziva smirked, licking her teeth with her tongue. Tony's voice went suddenly hoarse. "I'M the lusty wench!"

"Aye, matey," Ziva replied with a wink.


	145. Boys

Title: Boys  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Baby Jack goes commando.

* * *

Baby Jack, like his big sister Sarah, was a quick study at everything he tried and got fairly good at his endeavors. Recently, he'd been working on speed-crawling and hiding. Now, after his post-dinnertime bath, he scampered down the hallway on his hands and knees at full speed, naked as a jaybird, squeaking with glee as Tony chased after him.

"Jack! JACK!" Tony hollered, water dripping as he ran after his infant son, "Daddy's not finished! You gotta get your PJs on!"

Jack just looked back at him, laughing, and let his bare little butt answer for him as he continued crawling off. Tony snarled.

"You'd never see ME showing MY..." Tony began.

"...hairy butt like that?" Ziva finished for him, sneaking up from behind. Tony flinched at the sound of his wife's voice. She and Gibbs could always startle him like nobody else. "On that point, I must disagree. I have seen your hairy butt _many_ times."

"Never heard any complaints _before_," Tony said smugly, sniffing manfully at the air. Ziva rolled her eyes, smirking.

"I was not... _complaining_," she countered, purring, her brown eyes settling on Tony's rear end before she headed off in search of Baby Jack. Tony grinned and smacked his own fanny.

"Yeeeeaaaahhh... I still got it," he snickered, sticking out his tongue. But he didn't have time to revel in his own masculinity. Sarah's tiny voice cut through the silence.

"JACK JACK, YOU NUDIE BUNS! MOHHHH-MEEEEEEE! I SEE JACK JACK BOOTY! DAAAAAAAAAA-DEEEEEEE!"

Sighing, Tony headed for the kitchen. There, he found Sarah covering her eyes with both hands as a happily naked Baby Jack tried to stand, balancing himself against a wholly terrified McFlea, who was too scared to move.

"Fee Fee Fee," Baby Jack, who'd been picking little words and phrases here and there, said to McFlea in his own special babyspeak. He tried to pat McFlea while holding onto the family dog's black coat. McFlea whimpered. "Say," Jack babbled in a garbled attempt at keeping the quaking dog from moving. Little Shep yapped happily, trying to cheer on his best friend Jack. He was also pleased to see that his father was helping out. At last, McFlea let out a pitiful whine.

Ziva and Tony rushed to scoop up Jack at the same time. Tony, feeling as though he should be the one to see the night's wackiness wind down, snatched up his infant son, wrapped him in a towel and hustled him off to the nursery to diaper and dress him. Baby Jack frowned, clearly unhappy at the prospect of not being naked anymore. He hollered as loud as he could but Ziva folded her arms and gave him a look that let him know it was time to quiet down; his adventure had come to an end. Looking crestfallen, Jack fell silent and nestled his little head against Tony's shoulder.

Having secured Jack's diaper, Tony tenderly helped him into his favorite onesie and asked his boy, "Why'd you have to give the whole house a free show? You freaked out your sister, y'know, and that's pretty hard to do. I don't think McFlea's ever gonna look at you the same way again, either. You were a bad BAD boy tonight, buddy."

Baby Jack smiled up at his daddy and giggled. Tony couldn't help but grin back down at Jack, picking him up and hugging him against his chest. Father and son shared a laugh.

"Yeah, just like the old man, huh?" Tony said, kissing Jack on the cheek.

"Not exactly," Ziva, who'd once again snuck up on her husband, replied. Tony sneered, whirling around to face her as Baby Jack now began to doze against his shoulder. Sarah led a skittish McFlea into the nursery, assuring him there was no "Jack Jack booty." Shep trotted along behind, yipping with glee, proud of his big, strong father and blissfully unaware that McFlea was terrified of once again being, in his mind, attacked by a naked Baby Jack.

"And why do you say that, my ninja?" Tony stuck out his lower lip, acting hurt. Ziva rolled her eyes. She knew this game.

"HIS butt is NOT hairy," Ziva teased, licking her tongue with her teeth.

"Not YET," Tony countered.

Tony tucked Jack into his crib while Ziva helped Sarah settle into her bed with the Zoo. McFlea, now much calmer, snuggled with his own growing son, Shep, in their dog bed. When the nursery was quiet and its occupants asleep, Tony and Ziva faced each other in the hallway.

"So, Sweet Cheeks," Tony whispered, pushing Ziva's hair back from her face, "got anything else to say about _my_ sweet cheeks?"

"I said I was NOT complaining," Ziva replied, a little tired of Tony's continued needling, "And you are most certainly showing your hairy butt _now_."

Tony pulled her to him. For once, Ziva was the one surprised by the turn of events. She gasped, not having been prepared for Tony's move.

"Baby," Tony whispered huskily into Ziva's ear just before drawing her into a heated kiss, "you ain't seen NOTHIN' yet."


	146. Dreaming Of Me

Title: Dreaming Of Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: ALWAYS let sleeping Tonys lie.

* * *

Ziva blew gently on her steaming hot cup of coffee, brown eyes fixed on the strange object across the living room. Abby's eyes were wide with wonder as she sipped on a tall straw sticking out of her Giant Caf-Pow! XXL. Finally, Abby had to speak.

"Is it always so... chitty-chatty?" she whispered to Ziva.

"Once it begins lathering," Ziva whispered back, "you cannot make it stop."

"Blathering?" Abby asked, certain that was what Ziva meant to say.

"Yes, that too," Ziva replied. Abby shuddered.

"How do you sleep through all the noise?" Abby whispered.

"I have slept through worse," Ziva sighed. "And I am used to it, after all. I hear it during the day."

"You poor thing," Abby said, shaking her head sympathetically. She took another sip of her Caf-Pow! and studied the oddity before her.

In his recliner, Tony slept — although not quietly.

"Swlek," he mumbled. "Facleblals ajock ukles, bowlsie? Guelph..."

Abby raised an eyebrow, staring at Tony. Ziva merely smirked; this was nothing new to her.

"Jabbles meep eltix fgghhoy," Tony groaned. Then a little smile crossed his face. He giggled. "Prooob... Meeps clak, voneklid? Quidlops! Quidlops fee CHIKLEFLIMS!"

"Chikleflims?" Abby whispered to Ziva.

"You do not want to know," Ziva replied. "And the jabbles? Oh, they are... so... so..."

"Words can't describe, huh?" Abby said, scrunching up her face knowingly.

"Yes, of course they can," Ziva answered, clearly confused. Then she sighed. "If he is talking meeps, it will be a late night." With that, Ziva headed to the kitchen.

Abby watched Tony snoring and mumbling to himself for a few more minutes. Then curiosity overtook her and she just had to get a closer listen. But when she approached Tony, he suddenly went silent.

"Tony?" Abby whispered into Tony's ear. "Tohhhhh-neeeeee?" Frowning when she didn't get a response, Abby skipped into the kitchen, said her goodnights to Ziva and headed for her own house next door.

Ziva then quietly made her way into the living room, where Tony lay snoozing. Settling back onto the couch, she sighed contentedly and started reading her latest mystery novel.

"Don't get too invested in that potboiler, Sweet Cheeks," Tony muttered dreamily from his recliner, eyes still closed. "'Cause I got big plans for you tonight."

"Jabbles, my little furry mutt?" Ziva asked, not even looking up from her paperback. A sly, knowing grin played at her lips.

"Oh, you BET jabbles," Tony said huskily from deep in his throat. "Meeps, too. If you can stay awake that long."

"Thank goodness I brewed a second pot of coffee," Ziva said, chuckling.


	147. You're Not Alone

Title: You're Not Alone  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's sick.

* * *

"Papa?" Baby Jack tugged at his big sister's pajamas as she settled the Zoo into bed. Sarah turned to look at her baby brother, who was clearly worried about their father.

"Daddy sick," Sarah reminded him. "He sweeping, Jack Jack. It be okay." With that, she helped Baby Jack move closer to her and gave him some Zoo animals to help tuck in. He gently placed Tony The Tiger next to Jenny Giraffe and sighed. Sarah, who hated to see her Jack Jack sad, gave him a sweet little kiss on the cheek. "Daddy get ... get ... " she searched for the right word. "He get NOT sick."

But Jack still seemed sad. His daddy usually gave him his nightly bath and they played and splashed water and tonight his Mommy had given him a quick bath. She yawned and they didn't play. Daddy wasn't in his big chair, either, to bounce Jack on his knee and sing little songs to he and Sarah. Jack missed his daddy. When he and Shep tried to open the door to where Daddy slept in his big bed, Mommy found them and told them to let Daddy rest. She wasn't mad but she scooped up Jack and put he and Shep in the nursery to play with Sarah. Sarah said something about not getting "Daddy bad cold." Jack was still figuring out what it all meant but he guessed not getting to see his daddy meant that something was really bad and that scared him, which made him sad. Everything seemed strange without Daddy around.

"Jack Jack, you sweep my bed, OK?" Sarah said tenderly as she pulled back the covers. She knew her baby brother didn't understand what had happened to Daddy and needed someone to take care of him. That was fine with her; she loved to baby Baby Jack. Jack crawled under the covers with his Moo and Blackie the Bull. Sarah got in beside him and reminded him to "Say pwayer, Jack Jack." He couldn't, really, but tried his best, mimicking his sister as she said hers.

A little later, Ziva came in and kissed her babies goodnight.

"Jack Jack sweep here, Mommy?" Sarah asked in a whisper. "He sad." Baby Jack was already dozing, his little chest steadily rising and falling with each breath.

"Yes, angel," Ziva said, giving Sarah another little peck on the forehead. "That is sweet of you."

"We... We say pwayers," Sarah let Ziva know. "Jack pway. Pway... Pway... fo... you an' Daddy..."

Ziva was deeply touched. Lying down beside Sarah, she snuggled with her daughter.

"Thank you, sweetie," Ziva whispered. "Now I am sure Daddy will get much better right away."

In a few minutes, Sarah had drifted off to sleep and Ziva, herself exhausted from trying to care for Tony while getting the children their suppers and baths, quietly headed to sleep in the guest room. But before doing so, she went to check on Tony. As she carefully felt his forehead to see if his fever had relented at all, he woke with a start. Ziva silently berated herself for waking her husband; he needed his rest.

"Go back to sleep, Tony," Ziva whispered to Tony. "If you need me, I will be right across the hall."

"Mmmm..." Tony moaned, adding hoarsely, "You OK? Kids OK? Dogs?" With that, he launched into a coughing fit. Ziva quickly flipped on a light, handing him some water.

"We are all fine but you must rest," Ziva said, gently rubbing Tony's shoulder as his coughing subsided into wheezing. "Sarah and Jack have been praying for you. She knows you will get well but Jack does not know why he can't see his daddy. He is worried."

"Poor lil'..." Tony coughed again "... guy. I hope you and the kids don't take this, baby. It's awful."

"I will request that in MY prayers shortly," Ziva tenderly replied. She kissed Tony on the top of his head. "Good night, my little flu bug. I love you."

"I love you, too, Nurse Ninja Nightingale," Tony teased weakly, wheezing a little, before flopping back down onto the bed as Ziva clicked off the light and darkness once again enveloped him.

Unable to sleep with his joints and throat aching, Tony nevertheless managed to silently say his own prayers of thanks for having family to care for — and about — him now whenever he was sick. He'd get well and things in the house would go back to normal, he knew, but as he closed his eyes he felt a comforting sense of warmth come over him. Before, he'd suffered through everything — emotional and physical pain, loneliness, depression, fear, even these annoying bouts of flu — alone.

But now, Tony knew, he had a family who loved him. And that love, coupled with prayers and the knowledge that they'd be there when he awoke the next day, at last gave him the peace to relax and enjoy a long, deep, healing slumber in which dreams of a raven-haired beauty, a moptop tiny angel, a laughing baby boy, two patient and loyal dogs and zoo animals of all sorts surrounded him, reminding him that everything was going to be just fine.


	148. Golden Slumbers

Title: Golden Slumbers  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Nightowl Tony makes an appearance.

* * *

Since everyone else in the house was sound asleep, Tony didn't understand why HE couldn't get any rest this particular night. He was certainly tired enough; he'd spent the day fixing little things around the house — Ziva had mastered the art of the 'Honey-Do' list — and after playing with Sarah, Baby Jack and the dogs all evening, it was all he could do to keep his eyes open as he bathed Jack and Sarah before putting them to bed.

But now, in the darkest part of the night, Tony was wide awake. Lying beside him, Ziva snored softly. She never suffered from insomnia.

Sighing, Tony stared at the ceiling for a while, hoping he'd just drift off at some point. When he didn't, he sighed again and quietly got up from bed. Padding into the living room, he carefully made his way to his recliner, snapped on his tableside light and gloomily leafed through an old paperback western Mike Franks had given him to read on the trip home from Mexico. His honeymoon with Ziva and Sarah seemed so long ago now, Tony thought, and he'd never even taken a look at the slim, well-worn book Mike had sent home with him. Although he enjoyed watching movies about cowboys, reading about them had never interested him. But tonight, he figured he'd give it a shot.

The book was a collection of tales about cowboys in the Old West — stories of cattle drives and rodeos and shoot 'em ups in saloons.

"Daddy?"

Sarah, who apparently couldn't sleep either, toddled into the room with Jenny Giraffe. She clambered onto Tony's lap and he helped her settle in as she snuggled against his chest. Jenny Giraffe studied the paperbook book intently with her little round brown eyes.

"Wanna read about cowboys?" Tony quietly asked his baby girl. Sarah nodded. She loved cowboys, almost as much as Marines. "OK, let's read about some cowboys," Tony said softly as he, Sarah and Jenny Giraffe cuddled in the recliner.

Just before dawn, Ziva clicked off the little light in the living room, making certain to replace the paperback on the sidetable next to Tony's chair. She was certain Tony would want to pick up reading where he'd obviously left off at some point in the night before he and Sarah had finally fallen into a deep, gentle sleep.


	149. Bigmouth Strikes Again

Title: Bigmouth Strikes Again  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's tongue has turned against him.

* * *

"OWWWWWWWWWW!"

Tony winced with pain, flinching after the Gibbs slap Ziva laid on him. He never really knew when they were coming but usually they were playful, done in jest. This one hurt like hell. She'd smacked him hard.

"What the hell was THAT for?" Tony demanded, rubbing the back of his now-throbbing head. Snarling, he whipped around to find a furious Ziva scowling right back at him. Immediately, he backed up. No sense staying in arm's length, he thought.

"A HORSE, TONY?" Ziva yelled angrily. "I am a HORSE?"

Tony continued rubbing his head and tried to figure out what his wife was talking about. He was completely confused.

"Huh?" he answered, looking lost. "Horse? WHAT horse?" His mind racing, Tony desperately wracked his brain for any conversations about horses involving Ziva. He came up empty. "Ziva, I don't KNOW any horses! What...?"

"Apparently, you DO! And I am that HORSE!" Ziva shot back, her anger unabated. "Well," she continued, fuming, "if I am the HORSE in our marriage, then YOU are without a doubt the ASS!" And with that, she turned and stalked off down the hallway to their bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

What just happened here? Tony thought to himself as he stood in the middle of the kitchen. All I was doing was making coffee!

Knowing Ziva as he did, Tony figured he had a couple of hours to put his detective skills to good use and suss out what had started this fight over Ziva being a horse, his being an ass and neither being able to just tell the other what was going on in the first place. So Tony sat down at the kitchen table with a cup of fresh coffee, grabbed a notepad and looked for a pencil but could only find red and blue crayons (Sarah had been drawing American flags) and started writing down all the facts as he knew them.

_1. Ziva slapped me. Hard._  
_2. Ziva says she's 'horse' in our marriage._  
_3. Ziva says I'm 'ass' in our marriage._  
_4. Ziva saying nothing now. Locked me out of bedroom._  
_5. Ziva not going to give Daddy any lovin' tonight._

Just after scrawling the fifth item onto the pad, Tony jumped up from the table, nearly knocking over his coffee in the process.

"Ohhhhh..." he groaned, the realization of what Ziva was angry about finally hitting him. "Ohhhhh... NO..."

This was too major to allow Ziva a few hours' stewing. Tony knew he needed to fix this — now.

Knocking gently at the bedroom door, Tony implored Ziva to please hear him out and especially to let him in.

"Sweet Cheeks, I can explain everything," Tony promised sweetly (and not just a bit nervously).

"Go AWAY!" Ziva yelled from inside the bedroom.

"You gotta hear me out on this!" Tony insisted. "It's all a terrible misunderstanding, my bon-bon!"

Suddenly, Tony heard a clicking sound and felt himself being yanked into the bedroom by his t-shirt collar. Hacking and coughing as he gasped for air while trying to get his bearings, he did his best to offer Ziva his most charming, boyish grin. She returned the gesture with a flat, cold look.

"I am giving you two minutes to explain," Ziva said without emotion. "Start."

"Heh... Ya coulda just opened the door, baby," Tony joked. Ziva looked at the alarm clock. Tony gulped and started talking. "OK, see, Abby keeps askin' me when she's gonna have another little niece or nephew joining Team DiNozzo and I keep telling her we're working on it. Or we're GONNA be working on it. You know, when Jack's older, like we said. You with me?"

Ziva looked at the clock again.

"ONE minute," she replied.

"So one day at work, McNOSY starts in with 'When do I get to be Unca Timmy again?' and I know Abs put him up to it because Probie's never asked about that kind of stuff. Not really guy talk, y'know?" Tony looked hopefully at Ziva.

"THIRTY seconds," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"DAMN!" Tony snapped. "All I said to McGee was that we're gettin' around to having another baby and I said 'Just gotta get right back up on that ol' horse'..."

Ziva shot Tony a dirty look.

"... which ONLY means that it's been a while since we were really TRYING to have a baby and we'll really TRY again when the time's right and we feel like we're ready! It doesn't mean YOU'RE a horse!" Tony took a deep breath, exhaled and flopped down onto the bed. If Ziva didn't understand, he was sunk.

"This is another one of your twists of phrase, then?" Ziva asked, still unsure of what to think.

"Turns of..." Tony began to correct, then stopped, thinking better of doing so. "Yeah, it's just a saying. Doesn't really mean anything. Not about YOU. Aw, Ziva, you really think I'd call you a horse or make fun of you? I LOVE you. I wouldn't do that."

Ziva sat beside Tony, taking his hand.

"No, you would not," she sighed. "I know that you love me. And I love you too. It will be nice, having another baby when we are ready." Ziva gave Tony a little kiss on his cheek. "Tony, I am sorry. Forgive me? I promise that we will... make up later." She paused, smirking. "As you say, it is time to ride the back of the horse again."

"Well, now," Tony murmured huskily, taking Ziva into his arms. He pulled her close against him, pressing his lips against her neck. "Can't say no to an offer like that. Then I really WOULD be an ass, huh?"


	150. Telephone

Title: Telephone  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Somebody's popular in Camp DiNozzo. But it's not Tony.

* * *

"DiNozzo residence. Anthony DiNozzo, Man of the House, at your service!" Tony chirped into the phone receiver, grinning.

Today, Tony was teaching Sarah about "Best Manners." Sarah, sitting at the kitchen table, patted McFlea on his big boxy black head and they both watched Tony with curious interest. Sarah knew what best manners were but since her Daddy was taking time to show her how HE thought people should act and talk, she figured she should be really quiet and listen. McFlea, who'd wandered into the kitchen for a doggy treat, now found himself stuck in Tony's little class. Whimpering, he stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth. He was trying to be a good dog.

"Hello?" Tony frowned. He clearly wasn't easily understanding the person on the other end of the phone. "May you speak to who? Who is this?"

Tony waited a minute, trying to translate.

"Maw who? Huh?" Tony held out the phone, raising an eyebrow. "You'd like to what? Is who here? Say-what?"

Sarah raised her hand politely. McFlea's ears pricked up.

"Just a minute, Snugglepumpkin, Daddy's trying to figure out if he's talking to a real human person right now," Tony said in a stage whisper, cupping the phone receiver.

"Daddy," Sarah said, hand still raised, "dat... dat Mawcus. It fow me."

Tony frowned again. He slapped the phone receiver back to his ear.

"Oh... Marcus? That you?" Tony asked. Eyeing Sarah suspiciously, Tony said, "Marcus. For you," and handed her the phone. Smiling, Sarah took the phone from her father.

"Hewwo, Mawcus," Sarah said into the phone politely. "Oh. Dat my Daddy." Then she began chattering happily about Jack Jack, Shep, the Zoo and McFlea, who, hearing his name, lay down and sighed.

Tony wandered into the living room, finding Ziva snuggling with Jack and Shep as she read them a story about a jungle boy. Baby Jack hugged Shep to his chest.

"Not even TWO yet and she's already gettin' phonecalls from boys!" Tony groused, flopping into his recliner. "Where did we go wrong?"

"HA!" Ziva exclaimed, smirking as she settled her dark eyes on Tony. Baby Jack, who was starting to learn words himself, mimicked his mother by saying "Ha" over and over under his breath. Tony snarled back at both of them.

"HA what?" Tony demanded, sticking out his lower lip like a pouty child. "If you've got somethin' to say, Sweet Cheeks, just SAY it. HA isn't even a WORD."

"YOU are jealous," Ziva replied, raising an eyebrow mockingly at Tony, "because our daughter has a little BOYfriend now."

"I am NOT!" Tony shot back, pouting even more than before. "I've never been jealous a day in my LIFE!"

"HA!" Ziva exclaimed again. And again, Jack echoed her. Now Tony was getting angry.

"And I'm DAMN sure not jealous of a three-year-old BOY!" Tony snapped.

"Da da da da... dam..." Jack repeated before making "dam" his new Word of the Day. Ziva's eyes went black as she covered Jack's tiny ears.

"There are big EARS on little pitchforks, Tony!" she hissed. Jack continued saying "dam dam dam dam dam" softly to Shep, who wagged his little tail happily at the sound of his best friend's big new word.

"PITCHERS!" Tony barked, pushing up from his chair suddenly. "PITCHFORKS don't HAVE EARS!" With that, he stomped down the hallway and slammed the door behind him as he hid in the bedroom.

Laying on the bed, Tony indulged himself in a sulkfest. Ziva had nailed it. He was jealous of - yes - a three-year-old boy. All Sarah talked about now was "Mawcus this" and "Mawcus that" and "My fwiend Mawcus" and "But Mawcus say..." Marcus, Marcus, Marcus... One playdate at the house with Sarah and Jack and Tony's baby girl was over the moon. And for a toddler who couldn't even tie his own shoes. And who still, at three, needed a sippy cup because, as his own mother had jokingly told Ziva, "he's a spiller."

_Sarah used to say 'Daddy this' and 'Daddy that' and 'My Daddy...' and 'But Daddy say...,'_ Tony thought forlornly. _She never says stuff like that anymore._

Tony's mood wasn't improved about an hour or so later when he heard Marcus' voice pealing down the hall. From what he could gather, being hidden away in the bedroom, Marcus had been calling to see if he could spend the night. Ziva, of course, had said OK and here was Sarah's little boyfriend in Tony's house, running around and pretending HE was Tony The Tiger, making roaring sounds. "I gonna EAT choo!" TigerMarcus roared to Sarah's delight.

_Tigers don't ROAR,_ Tony thought, frowning. _They GROWL. Any kid knows THAT._ He knew he was being petulant but didn't care. Marcus was getting on his nerves. Sarah was HIS baby girl; Marcus should go home. Frustrated with it all, Tony snarled and finally just called it a night, putting on what Sarah used to call his "Daddy Feel Bad" pajamas with the little Ohio State Buckeyes all over them.

Much later that night, when everything was dark, Tony heard sobbing coming from the guest room. Dazed from having been sound asleep for so long, he gave himself a moment to wake up and then made his way in there to find Marcus, tiny shoulders shaking, crying into his pillow.

"Marcus?" Tony whispered gently. "Marcus... Hey buddy... what's the matter?" Tenderly, Tony placed his hand on Marcus' slim shoulder. Marcus sniffed and slowly faced him.

"I... I hab a bad dweam," Marcus sobbed. Tears streaked his little chocolate-skinned face and his big brown eyes were wide with fear. Tony smiled reassuringly at him.

"Aw, it was just a dream, right?" Tony asked. "That means it wasn't really real. What happened? You wanna tell me?"

"I got..." Marcus sniffed back tears, "... eated by a tiguh." The little boy began to cry again so Tony gave him a gentle hug, patting his back.

"Heh... That's not so bad, Marcus," Tony told him, "Last week, Sarah got eaten by a lion, an elephant, three monkeys and Jenny Giraffe. And Jenny Giraffe is her best girlfriend! She told me Jenny Giraffe said she liked Sarah Cake with milk the BEST. That was after Sarah had milk and TWO big pieces of cake for dessert. Her tummy hurt a lot."

Marcus giggled through his tears. Tony laughed, too.

"Tell you what," Tony said to Marcus, "how 'bout I put Jack Jack in between you and Sarah in her big bed, huh? That way everyone's all safe against hungry animals in dreams." Marcus considered it for a minute and nodded "OK" slowly.

After Tony had finished tucking all the children in together, he returned to bed and lay down beside Ziva, who was still soundly sleeping.

"OK," he whispered, knowing Ziva couldn't hear, "Fine. I was jealous. You win." Then he planted a little sweet kiss on Ziva's cheek, turned over and settled in to go back to sleep.

_Ha,_ Ziva thought silently, a little satisfied smirk crossing her face before she drifted back into her dreams.


	151. Darkness On The Edge Of Town

Title: Darkness On The Edge Of Town  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva consider serious matters.

* * *

"That bullet just missed you, Ziva," Tony said in a near-whisper. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he hadn't even changed into his pajamas. Instead, Tony's green eyes stared blankly at the window looking onto the street.

"It is not the first," Ziva replied rather casually, "and it will not be the last, Tony." She continued stripping off her work clothes, slipping into a thin, silky short nightgown. "Taking fire is part of our job. It is marked by our territory."

"Comes with the territory," Tony quietly corrected. His gaze remained fixed on the window, his face devoid of expression.

Ziva now sat beside Tony on the bed, taking his hand in hers. All afternoon and throughout the evening, ever since they'd come under fire while attempting to arrest one of NCIS' most wanted murder suspects, Tony's mood had been somber. It was Ziva whom the man had trained his sights on, mostly missing with his panicked array of gunfire but managing to right his aim so that a single shot whistled past her temple. Despite the frenzied excitement surrounding her, Ziva had felt the bullet only for a second as it sped so quickly past her skin that it didn't even knick the surface. She'd heard a sudden "whing" that let her know death had dodged her on this day.

"I am still here," Ziva told Tony. She wasn't being sarcastic, just honest. Tony caressed the skin of Ziva's thumb with his.

"Don't know what I'd do without you - how I'd take care of the babies," Tony said, his voice trailing off. "When you were hurt before..."

"You survived," Ziva reminded Tony. "You would go on, Tony, if I were..."

"Don't say it," Tony pleaded, bringing his hands up to cover his face. He couldn't face Ziva now. "Just don't, OK?"

"... if I were dead," Ziva went on. This, Tony needed to hear despite his pleas to the contrary. Resting her head on his shoulder, Ziva said, "Tony, you cannot be afraid of someday losing me if it should happen. I don't want you to live with that sort of fear."

"Yeah, well, I do," Tony shot back, upset at how casually Ziva seemed to be taking everything. "You aren't scared to death of ME getting killed or dying, Ziva? Huh? You're not afraid of how you'd raise our kids without me?"

"Of course I am," Ziva said quietly, her voice breaking. "But I know that I would have to go on with my life — so that I could take care of Sarah and Jack as best I could. Tony, the thought of you being taken away from me..." She paused, unable to get the words out. At last, she choked back a sob.

Tony took Ziva tenderly into his arms, holding her close against him. He indulged himself by breathing in the scent of her shampoo, her olive skin...

"I'm still here," Tony murmured gently into Ziva's ear. He caressed her back as if he were soothing a small child. "I'm still here."


	152. Forget About It

Title: Forget About It  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Sometimes Tony worries...

* * *

Sitting outside on his backyard swing, Tony gazed up at the stars in the crystal-clear night sky. Summer was making way for the first crisp, cool autumn breezes, which delicately rustled the leaves on the trees. McFlea, who enjoyed spending quiet time with his daddy (and best friend), lay on the swing, too. His big, black boxy head rested against Tony's thigh; McFlea was too big and strong now to curl up in Tony's lap as he had when he was a puppy. Dozing off and on, McFlea issued a contented little snort as Tony scratched behind his fuzzy ears and patted his furry shoulder.

_Every night oughta be like this,_ Tony thought as he stared up into the sky. _Quiet... calm... _

His thoughts turned to Ziva and the children, who were sound asleep in the house. A sudden sadness overtook Tony, remembering how close he'd come to losing Ziva yet again only a few weeks before. Why did they stay in such a dangerous line of work? It had been fine when they were both single — even when they'd started seeing each other — but now they had two young toddlers and were thinking of having at least one more baby. NCIS had always been family to them. Now, though, they had a real family. And the dangers of working for NCIS might affect the children.

_I don't want to die,_ Tony admitted to himself. _I don't want Ziva to die. _

_I'm scared of losing her. And what if I couldn't take care of Sarah and Jack? What if something happened to me and Ziva couldn't handle it all? _

_What if we BOTH died?_

_What happens to our kids?_

Now Tony's eyes were fixed not on the stars above but on the ground beneath his feet. A sleeping McFlea growled threateningly, as if he were fighting off something menacing in a dream. But just as quickly as the sound left his throat, his ears suddenly pricked up and, in his sleep, he opened his mouth to let out a little yap as he used to do when he was small. Sighing, McFlea immediately drifted back into his slumber.

Tony tenderly stroked his dog's fuzzy head, relishing McFlea's companionship at that moment. The world around them seemed dark and immense just then but as McFlea moved unconsciously to rest his giant paw in his master's lap, Tony felt a little less alone and, at least for a moment or two, a little less afraid.


	153. I Know What Boys Like

Title: I Know What Boys Like  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Who's pretty? Tony.

* * *

"Shep... Shep!" Tony groused, trying to keep the little black puppy still for a minute as he worked to slip a new collar around his neck. "SHEPARD J. DiNOZZO! SIT! STAY! HEEL, BOY! Uh..." But Shep at last wriggled out of Tony's grasp, fleeing down the hallway into the nursery to a safe place under Sarah's bed. Muttering angrily to himself, Tony squinted as he looked for assistance. "McFLEA!" he yelled, snapping his fingers. "FRONT AND CENTER!"

After a brief interlude, McFlea appeared with Sarah in tow. On his head was one of the little flower crowns Sarah and Ziva had been making from a craft kit. In his mouth was a fairy princess wand, a large glittery silver star at its end. Tony's eyes went wide with horror.

"McFLEA!" Tony yelped, unable to contain his shock. "WHAT the...?"

"He pwetty, Daddy," Sarah said helpfully, patting McFlea's strong back. "Good McFee."

"McFLEA," Tony began to explain, "is a BOY dog, Sarah. He's not supposed to be 'pretty.' Boys aren't 'pretty,' Snugglepumpkin, they're TOUGH." With that, Tony reached to remove the little crown from McFlea's head. But Sarah stopped him, putting her little hand on his.

"McFEE pwetty!" Sarah said stubbornly, sticking out her lower lip for emphasis. "Dat HIS cwown!" Taking the star wand from McFlea gently, Sarah quickly led him to safety far away from Tony. He watched his big, strong black dog — still sporting his flower crown— and little toddler girl make their way down the hall to the sanctuary of the nursery. Along the way, Sarah sang McFlea a little song about being a "pwetty doggy" and tapped his boxy head with the wand. McFlea wagged his tail in reply.

Tony sighed, shaking his head at the sight.

_My dog's queen of the maypole,_ he thought, rubbing his temples. He was getting a headache from it all. Ziva was out shopping with Abby, enjoying a well-deserved Girls' Day. Tony had bragged that he'd have the whole house whipped into shape when she got back. He'd said "Ha ha HAH, Sweet Cheeks!" when Ziva asked "Yes, Tony, but what KIND of shape?" As usual, nothing was going as planned.

And where was Baby Jack?

The littlest DiNozzo, usually the loudest, hadn't made a peep all morning and hadn't been seen all afternoon. There had been no sudden glass-shattering screams out of him, no indiscriminate hollering for reasons unknown, not even a "Jaybird Jack" sighting of a certain baby boy who, filled with glee at learning to take a few steps at a time here and there, got so excited that he took off his pants and diaper to show the family his progress.

"Jack? JAAAA-AAACK?" Tony called out, hoping for the normal response — often a tiny giggle from a half-naked baby hiding somewhere in hopes of being "found." But he heard nothing. "ANTHONY JAMES! JACK! WHERE ARE YOU, BUDDY? DADDY'S WORRIED! COME ON OUT NOW... HIDE AND SEEK'S OVER, OK?"

When he still heard nothing, Tony's mind started to race. Where was his son?

"Daddy?"

Sarah's little voice startled Tony momentarily. He knelt down to greet her.

"Daddy, Jack Jack OK. He sweeping," Sarah explained. Tony pulled her close, hugging her.

"Is he in the nursery? In your big bed?" Tony asked. Sarah nodded "yes" and, taking her daddy's hand, led him down the hall to see for himself.

"Well, sure, Muffinkisses," Tony said when they arrived. "I guess Jack Jack's crown IS just as pretty as McFlea's. Oh... yeah... Shep's, too." Again, he sighed.

* * *

About an hour later when Ziva got home, she was surprised to find that she'd walked into a quiet house. Usually when Tony took charge, the house was loud and out of control. Toys and snacks littered the rooms. The TV blared. Strange smells wafted from Ziva's kitchen. Pots and pans had suffered third-degree burns. Babies and dogs ran wild through the halls, sometimes wearing clothes. Zoo animals peeked out at Ziva from strange places that humans couldn't even reach. Large tents made of bedsheets revealed themselves to her at odd turns. But this afternoon, only cleanliness and silence greeted Ziva as she entered her front door.

She thought about calling out for Tony, to make sure everything was alright. But something told her she shouldn't.

Instead, she quietly made her way to the nursery. Grinning at what she saw, Ziva stifled a chuckle and, shaking her head disbelievingly, headed for the living room. Returning silently to the doorway of the nursery, she deftly snapped a series of photos to chronicle the sight before her. Otherwise, nobody might believe it. This, she wanted to save just for herself as something to cherish secretly. Having taken enough pictures to satisfy her, Ziva tucked her camera away in a safe place and, once back in the nursery, took a seat in the rocking chair to relax.

Tony and the children wouldn't wake up for a while yet, Ziva knew, and neither would McFlea and Shep. And besides, didn't Tony look pretty with his little flower crown nestled in his hair, the silver-glittered star wand clutched in his hand?


	154. Laugh At Me

Title: Laugh At Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's shopping again. Never a good idea.

* * *

At the grocery store, Tony pushed his cart along the snack aisle. His green eyes feasted on what he knew that, now, he could not - namely, all the delicious (and fattening) chips, cookies, crackers and cakes that Ziva had forbidden him to buy whenever he did the shopping. Sighing at the memory of being able to eat whatever he wanted whenever he wanted, Tony gazed forlornly at a giant package of King Kong Kakes.

"We had a great run together, didn't we?" Tony asked the package, wiping back a tear. A giant cartoon gorilla stared back at him, pounding its chest happily. "All those long nights alone in the NCIS Bullpen... Just the two of us... It was special, wasn't it?" Clasping the package to his chest, Tony closed his eyes and savored the memory. "A man and his snacks — it's a beautiful thing," Tony said mournfully.

Raising an eyebrow slyly as he looked around the snack aisle, Tony once again addressed the package.

"Oh, King Kong Kakes, I can't QUIT you!" Tony brought the pack to his nose, inhaling the plastic. "We'll make it together... somehow." With that, he chucked the snack pack into the cart and started down the aisle towards that part of the supermarket which he most despised — the produce section.

Making a "yuck" face at a pyramid of summer squash, Tony snarled at the idea of spending money on fruits and vegetables. He looked again at Ziva's list; summer squash was on it. Sticking out his tongue at a squash, Tony picked it up as if he were handling some kind of disgusting evidence for NCIS. He held it far away, wrinkling his nose as he eyeballed it.

"Ugh... Doesn't even look like FOOD," Tony muttered. "Looks like an alien life form." Grinning, he placed the squash inside his Ohio State letter jacket and, doing his best parody of the famous scene from "Alien," he suddenly popped the squash out from in front of his stomach, screeching "WRAAAAK! WRAAAAK! Oh my GOD! He's giving BIRTH! WRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKK!" Then he snickered, having cracked himself up with his movie imitation joke. "In the produce aisle... NO ONE can hear you SCREAM..." Tony said to the little squash in a deep, threatening voice. Giggling at this second brilliant gag, he gnashed his teeth at the squash and placed it in his shopping cart. Next on Ziva's list was spinach. Tony groaned.

As he started towards the spinach, Tony noticed a mom and her little boy gaping at him. Apparently they'd seen his "Alien" riff and weren't sure what to think. Raising an eyebrow haughtily at them, Tony sniffed manfully and, lifting his chin, sauntered past to pick out his spinach.

"Little produce aisle humor," Tony said nonchalantly to the pair, who continued staring. "I believe in playing with my food." With that, he plopped the spinach into the cart and, giving the two one last sneer for good measure, hurried off towards the relative safety of the frozen pizzas, making little "wraaak" sounds as he rode the shopping cart down the store's main aisle at top speed.


	155. Jealous Again

Title: Jealous Again  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's alter ego, Jealous Tony, returns to cause trouble.

* * *

"ARE you going to be like this all NIGHT, Tony?" Ziva demanded. "Because when you said that you would show me a completely different side of yourself, this is definitely NOT what I expected!"

In his seat across from Ziva at the small outside table at their favorite bistro, Tony folded his arms across his chest and sulked like a pouty child. To complete the effect, he stuck his bottom lip out and scowled.

"Don't know what you're talkin' about," Tony muttered bitterly.

"Oh, you do NOT?" Ziva asked, incredulous. "Let us review..."

Tony, who knew what he was in for, looked away and snarled. He really didn't want to hear about how what was supposed to be a romantic night out had turned into a disaster. Mainly, he didn't want to hear about how he'd caused it all.

Everything had been fine until Tony and Ziva had arrived at the restaurant and the waiter, a strapping young man, had smiled at Ziva and complimented her on her outfit. For this evening, she'd chosen the sexiest dress in her repertoire — a tight-fitting backless maroon cocktail dress that accented her cleavage without revealing too much. It was Tony's favorite dress, too, which was the main reason Ziva had worn it. The waiter's eye had, according to Tony, lingered on Ziva a bit too long and that set off the chain of events that wrecked everything.

"It was then that... HE came along and ruined our night!" Ziva complained.

"Yeah, well, at least you admit that waiter couldn't keep his eyes off you," Tony shot back. "Guy checked out every part of you except that wedding ring you're wearing."

"I was not TALKING about the waiter," Ziva corrected. "I was talking about YOU turning into... into... JEALOUS TONY, Tony!"

"Oh," Tony replied nonchalantly. "_That_ guy." Sniffing manfully, he went on. "Can't help it when HE shows up. It's a man thing, Ziva. Men are jealous, my ninja. Just part of our nature. Primal... In our DNA and..."

"I am TIRED of your... DNA... ruining our nights out together," Ziva huffed. "And so WHEN I return, either Jealous Tony goes — or I do!" With that, she exited the table and stalked off into the bistro. Tony's green eyes traveled down Ziva's bare back to her rear as he watched her walk off.

_Wait a minute — I thought she LIKED Jealous Tony! And how can I not be jealous of THAT?_ Tony thought to himself, eyes following Ziva's progress until she was out of sight. _Damn waiter. He lays ONE hand on my wife and I'll..._

"Will you be having dessert this evening, sir?"

It was the waiter. Tony scowled at him, sizing the man up. He was... huge.

"Yes, I WILL be having DESSERT this evening!" Tony snapped back. "In fact," he continued mockingly, "I plan on getting LOTS of sugar tonight! IF you know what I mean..." With that, he snickered at his own little pun and, once again giving the waiter the evil eye, flipped the dessert menu back at him.

"And... exactly what will you be... _ordering_, sir?" The waiter looked confused at Tony's outburst — and at his giggling.

"Oh, YOU'LL know when I'm ready to _order_," Tony hissed as menacingly as possible. The waiter, now wholly confused, smiled weakly and exited. Again, Tony shot him a dirty look as he left the table. "Showed _him_," Tony muttered, sniffing.

"Exactly what DID you show him, Tony?" Ziva, who'd once again snuck up behind her husband, startling him, asked.

"That I'm _boss_," Tony said huffily. In truth, he had no real answer. "He's working for ME tonight and that means his peepers better stay off YOUR jeepers and creepers."

Ziva had to laugh. Whenever Tony was in a jealous mood, logic left him and he became like a frustrated child while trying to look cool and manly. Although it sparked Ziva's ire, it also never failed to charm her. She didn't really understand this but since, deep down, she liked it, she'd almost given up trying to figure it out.

"So you are having sugar later?" Ziva asked suggestively.

"Getting some," Tony replied, a wry grin playing at his lips. Two puns. One night. A new record.

"But you have been doing so well on your... diet," Ziva teased.

"I plan on working off the extra... sweets," Tony said, licking his teeth with his tongue.

"And Jealous Tony? Will he be joining us for... dessert... later?" Ziva raised an eyebrow at Tony.

"Can't say," Tony joked. "I'd have to ask My Ninja about that and I think she's still in the ladies' room, powdering her nunchucks."


	156. Hot Stuff

Title: Hot Stuff  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's even sexier now as a daddy. Right?

* * *

"MOMMY! MOMMY!" Sarah yelled, running into the living room at full speed. Jumping onto the couch next to Ziva, she peered into her mother's dark eyes, panting as she tried to catch her breath. "Mommy... kiss... kiss Daddy wight NOW! HUWWY!" Sarah patted Ziva's arm frantically. Ziva studied her little girl with amusement.

"That sounds like a fine idea," Ziva said, considering the thought of kissing Tony. He'd just taken the children to the neighborhood playground and was wearing his most broken-in Levi's that Ziva particularly liked. Whenever Tony got home from playing with the babies at the park, there was a boyish quality about him that drew Ziva to him even more than usual. "But why must I kiss Daddy right at this instant? Why is it SO important?"

"'Cause..." Sarah panted, "'Cause... a wady... wady... say Daddy CUTE!"

"Ohhhhh, I see..." Ziva replied solemnly. "And I am guessing you did not approve?"

"She not YOU!" Sarah told her mother matter-of-factly. "Kiss Daddy now, OK? Huwwy!"

"I have not heard the magic word yet," Ziva said, continuing to study her latest issue of Glock of the Month Club magazine. Sarah, getting frustrated, sighed. But she knew her mommy was right; she wasn't showing her best manners.

"You kiss Daddy now, PWEASE?" Sarah asked in a gentler tone. A grin played at Ziva's lips. Sarah was such a good girl.

"Well, if I absolutely must..." With that, Ziva set down her book and, as Sarah bolted for the kitchen to make sure her daddy hadn't gone anywhere, she chuckled at the silliness of it all. But since it was important to Sarah, who didn't like anyone smiling at her daddy but her mommy (or at her mommy but her daddy), Ziva would play along.

Entering the kitchen, Ziva found Tony rooting around in the refrigerator for a snack. As usual, she was able to sneak up on him unnoticed. And also as usual, he flinched when she startled him by whispering "Boo" breathily into his ear.

"Heh... Got me there, Sweet Cheeks," Tony laughed nervously, completely taken off-guard by Ziva's sneaking up on him. "Almost dropped the blueberry pie into the beef stew. Guess we'd have had STEW-berry pie for dessert tonight, huh?"

Sarah, who was watching her parents like a little hawk, giggled at Tony's joke. He flashed her a dazzling smile.

"She is still your number one fan," Ziva said, winking at Sarah, who blushed from the attention. "But I hear that you are quite popular at the playground, too. The words on the street say that you have a female admirer who believes you are... cute?" Ziva smirked, enjoying this chance to tease Tony.

"Oh, is that what the words on the street say?" Tony replied, smirking right back. "Turns out that I'm not only 'cute' but also a 'studmuffin,' too. Those playdate moms know a HOT dad when they see one." Sniffing with pride, Tony took a carton of milk from the refrigerator and drank from it. Sarah's little face clouded.

"That not nice, Daddy," Sarah said, frowning. "That MEAN!" Turning, she ran to the nursery and slammed the door.

"We... uh... we've got another whole brand new carton," Tony said to Ziva, looking confused.

"It isn't that, Tony," Ziva said. "She is upset that the mothers at the playground think you are a..." Ziva frowned, trying to remember the word, "stuffmuffin?"

"But I AM a... what'd you say?" Tony finished the rest of the milk, tossed the carton into the trash and wiped his mouth with the back of his arm. "Aw... I get it. Somebody's JEALOUS! Heh heh heh... Well, can't be helped. Just the curse of being a DiNozzo man. Those baby girls were all over Jack at the park. Couldn't keep 'em off him. Kid's a little chick magnet. The moms were giving him the cougar eye, too - rubbing his little faux-hawk and sayin' how cute he was until..."

"Wait a minute, Tony," Ziva politely interrupted. "The mothers at the park were saying that JACK is cute. Is that right?"

"Oh, yeah," Tony sniffed. "Never seen so many googy-eyes over one baby before. We showed up at the park, I sat down on a bench to take my Daddy Pack off and about six moms ran up and grabbed Jack and took off with him, starting in with the oohing and aaahing. He was getting hugs and kisses and cherry-bellys and if I heard the word 'CUTE' one time, I musta heard it a hundred times and..."

Ziva grinned and, taking Tony's hand, led him down the hallway to the nursery. There, they found Sarah mediating a serious "talk" between Jenny Giraffe and Tony The Tiger.

"YOU NOT CUTE!" Jenny was angrily telling Tony. "YOU MY BOYFWIN!"

Meanwhile, Baby Jack, who'd had a really good day, was curled up in the dog bed with McFlea and Shep. This was his new favorite hobby and, of course, Ziva's biggest headache. McFlea kindly "combed" his newest son's faux-hawk by licking Jack's head. Baby Jack's incoming hair was naturally peaking up into a little mohawk atop his head and, despite McFlea's best efforts, would not be tamed. Jack frowned at McFlea's constant grooming, finally letting loose with a loud holler to make his unhappiness known. McFlea, confused, stopped, sighing. It was tough being an adoptive daddy to a son who howled louder than he did. And having two puppies, one of whom was nearly as big as he was, plus Silly Monkey (McFlea's other "baby") was hard work.

Jack's fussing roused Kitty Kate, who'd been relaxing under Sarah's bed. Stretching and yawning, she padded over to Baby Jack and snuggled up in his lap to calm him down. Now little Shep, who'd been snoozing in his best buddy's lap, awoke and found his mother grooming him. Baby Jack giggled. Shep whimpered in protest to no avail.

"Sarah," Ziva said sweetly, "why is Jenny angry at Tony? That doesn't sound nice."

"A gull say... he... he _cute_," Sarah explained, frowning. "Jenny _sad_. She not... She not mad, Mommy."

"Oh," Ziva replied, nodding. "She does not like girls saying Tony is cute." Sarah shook her head "no." Tony the Non-Tiger had to hide a sheepish grin. He was touched.

"Would Jenny be happy again if she found out that the girl was NOT saying Tony is cute? What if Jenny found out that the girl was really saying that Schlep The Camel here was the cute one?" Ziva tousled Sarah's hair as Sarah patted Jenny's little brown mane. Tony the Non-Tiger held his namesake against his chest. Both looked repentant.

"But... But... he the _baby_," Sarah said, confused.

"Today at the park," Ziva went on, "the lady you heard talking was saying that JACK was cute, not Daddy. Daddy told me that the mommies were giving Jack kisses and hugs and saying that HE was cute."

"Now, hang on a minute," Tony interjected, frowning.

"_Daddy_ not cute?" Sarah asked innocently, looking at Ziva. Tony looked completely taken aback. "_Jack Jack_ cute?" She giggled, understanding what had happened.

"No, Princess," Ziva said tenderly, "Daddy is NOT cute."

"Hey, I RESEMBLE that remark!" Tony blurted out in his defense. He scowled playfully at Ziva.

"Forgive me," Ziva clarified. "Daddy IS cute but ONLY to Mommy. Your baby brother is cute to everyone."

"Aw, now THAT'S just not TRUE!" Tony said, pouting. "I'M still CUTE! I'M still a HOTTIE! And those playdate moms — THEY know a hunk on a stick when they see one!" Putting Tony The Tiger on his shoulder, Tony the Non-Tiger stood and prepared to repair to the sanctuary of his recliner. "Stripeypants and I will be basking in our masculine glory in the den with the TV on if anyone WANTS us," Tony said with a sniff. "And by 'anyone,' that means YOU, Sweet Cheeks. And Jenny Giraffe."

"Isn't the Ohio State game about to start, Tony?" Ziva asked.

"That, too," Tony said, strutting off.

"Mommy?" Sarah asked after Tony had left the nursery. "Kiss Daddy wight now?"

"Perhaps at halftime," Ziva replied, winking. They both laughed.


	157. Opportunities

Title: Opportunities  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Guess who's sneaking snacks? Again.

* * *

Doing a little unseen surveillance from the kitchen door, Ziva took note of Tony and Baby Jack seated at the table. As they drank milk and ate snacks, Sarah watched Tony like a little hawk. She knew her daddy was doing something her mommy had told him not to.

"YOU want some milk, Smoochiepuffs?" Tony mumbled between gulps of his own milk and bites of a King Kong Kake which Ziva had forbidden from the house. Sarah, her eyes not leaving Tony, shook her head "no." Baby Jack shoved a King Kong Kake into his mouth, giggling. Tony raised an eyebrow at Sarah, eyeing her suspiciously. "Why're you starin' at me like that, huh? Is one of McFlea's squirrels on my back?" Tony shifted in his chair, turning to try and look over his shoulder. "Little sneaks," he muttered, scowling.

"SPEAKING of sneaks," Ziva said, announcing her arrival, "YOU were told that those snacks are NOT allowed in the house, Tony. And HERE you are sneaking them — again! YOU are a snack-sneaker!" Folding her arms, she shot Tony a disappointed look. Tony, chagrined at having been surprised by his wife for the umpteenth time, flinched, nearly spilling the rest of his milk. Baby Jack burst into a fit of laughter, King Kong Kake crumbs tumbling from his little mouth. Sarah gave her daddy a solemn look. Daddy had been bad and now he was in trouble. Surely there was a "time-out" coming his way.

"I'm NOT sneaking snacks," Tony countered. "HE wanted 'em!" Pointing at Baby Jack, who was gleefully smearing dark chocolate all over his face, Tony defended himself. "HE's the snack-sneaker. I'M innocent! Innocent as a LAMB!"

"HA! YOU do not know any lambs!" Ziva shot back, unfazed by Tony's argument. Tony, not understanding Ziva's concern for his connection to real lambs, looked confused. Undaunted, Ziva went on. "YOU, Tony, have a long history IN THIS HOUSE of sneaking snacks! AND you are legendary for your snack-sneaking at the OFFICE as well!" Now she sat across the table from Tony, staring him down with her dark eyes. "Jack is only a little baby and you, his own father, are throwing a bus on him to cover for yourself." Shaking her head in mock disappointment, Ziva rubbed Baby Jack's faux-hawk and wiped her son's mouth free of King Kong Kake evidence. Sarah, who enjoyed seeing her mother give her daddy what she called the "Mommy wook," giggled. Tony, used to his baby girl being on his side, curled his lip at her and pouted.

"Turncoat," he jokingly hissed at Sarah. "Thought you were a player for Team Daddy. But you've gone over to The Dark Side now. With Darth Ninja!" Returning Ziva's glare, Tony tried a new tack. "And nobody throws a bus on anyone, Zeee-vah; you throw someone UNDER the bus. So ha hah HAH! Touché!" Making a little "Zorro" sign like a "Z" in the air with his index finger, Tony defiantly reached for the last King Kong Kake. Ziva's hand met his, stopping him from picking it up.

"You would like to keep that hand, yes, my little furry mutt?" Ziva challenged. Tony's eyes met hers. She was joking again. Right?

Right?

"It's... uh... it's grown on me over the years," Tony replied nervously. He felt pressure from Ziva's strong grip.

"Then I suggest you use it now for other purposes," Ziva said quietly. "A certain little boy could use a nice, hot bath, don't you think?"

"I think," Tony began, trying to delicately extricate his wrist from Ziva's grasp, "I hear Mr. Bubble calling my name. And Jack's." Breaking free at last from Ziva, Tony rose and quickly hauled Baby Jack off for his bath.

Once again, the kitchen was quiet. Only Sarah and Ziva remained at the table, a lone King King Kake sitting between them. Ziva reached for it and, taking it in the hand that had once held Tony's, lifted it so that she could take a good, long look at her husband's other favorite guilty pleasure.

"If you cannot beat them," Ziva said to Sarah as she broke the cake in half, handing her little girl one part while keeping the other for herself, "eat them."


	158. Get Ready

Title: Get Ready  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo takes vacation. ROAD TRIP! (Pt. 1)

* * *

"Rule 44!" Tony commanded, grabbing the breakfast dishes off the table before Ziva, Sarah and Baby Jack had finished their meal. "RULE 44!" Getting confused looks from his family, Tony repeated, "Rule 44? C'mon, Ziva, you know Rule 44."

"Yes," Ziva began cautiously, unsure of where Tony was going with this, "but WHY do you plan on hiding us, Tony? We are going on vacation, not underground."

"I plan on hiding you, Sweet Cheeks, and our two adorable children ... in that rental car sitting in the driveway!" Grinning much too broadly for Ziva's liking, Tony motioned for everyone to follow him as he ran to the front porch to check out the family's vacation wheels. Seeing no discernible movement from anyone at the kitchen table, he again motioned for the family to join him on the porch. By the third time Tony had to return to the kitchen to try getting anyone's attention, he was getting frustrated. "FRONT AND CENTER, FAMILY!" he ordered. "SNAP TO!"

Ziva, Sarah and Baby Jack just stared at Tony, as if they were watching an unbelievable scene in a movie. Tony glared back at them.

"McFlea..." Tony finally said, still staring down his family. "Front and center."

Sighing, McFlea slowly rose from where he'd been sunning himself near the dining room window. Yawning, he padded forlornly behind his master as they went to take a fourth look at the rental car for the family's planned vacation.

"... and it's got a V-8 engine and leather seating and would you just look at that instrument panel, boy?" Tony was saying to McFlea, who lay on the porch half-dozing. "It electronically gives you directions and calculates how far you are from ANYWHERE in the world — well, any major cities — and it's got satellite radio and..."

Feeling the need to save McFlea from Tony's excited ramblings, Ziva and the babies finally joined Tony on the porch.

"It is a nice car, Tony," Ziva said reasonably. She hadn't wanted to spend too much on a rental car and, as usual, Tony had gone overboard. But he was too happy to have logic interfere with his joy so Ziva opted to stay mum on how much the car cost. McFlea, sensing an opportunity, awoke and bolted back into the house. "I suppose we are ready to go, then?"

"A nice car? Ziva, this is a top of the line Beemer," Tony answered, grinning at the car again. He was half in love with it. "She's already packed. Took care of that first thing this morning when I got her home. She rides like a dream, too. Kids are gonna love this. First road trip..."

"Where will McFlea and Shep sit? This is an expensive car, Tony, and the dogs need..." Ziva started to question Tony on logistics but he stopped her, tenderly pressing his index finger against her lips.

"The... dogs... aren't... GOING!" Tony whispered. But Sarah, who heard everything, caught this and gave her daddy a fierce look. Even Ziva was surprised; she thought McFlea and Shep were coming along with the family.

"That not FAY-UH!" Sarah protested. She wanted her dogs along; they were family, too, and Daddy said it was a "family trip."

"Now, Snugglepumpkin..." Tony began to explain. Sarah wasn't listening. She ran into the house and hid in the nursery. Baby Jack, who'd now been joined by his best friend, Shep, on the porch, looked up at his father with big green eyes.

"Fix this, Tony," Ziva said flatly. "Take the car back and get something for the family, not just for yourself." With that, she strolled back into the house. Baby Jack crawled speedily behind her, Shep on his heels.

Alone on the porch, Tony sighed. It wasn't that he didn't want the dogs to come, just that babies AND dogs on a road trip might be too much to handle.

McFlea padded back onto the porch and lay down at Tony's feet. It saddened him when the rest of the family was upset with his daddy and so he was showing his support for Tony. Deeply touched, Tony knelt and rubbed McFlea's big black boxy head.

"Hold down the fort while I take the car back, OK, boy?" Tony asked McFlea. McFlea put his paws on Tony's shoulders, licking his face. "Heh... Yeah... Okay... OKAY!" Tony squirmed, trying to escape McFlea's barrage of affection.

"Gonna be a great vacation," Tony assured himself, revving up the car. "Ziva, kids, dogs, the open road..." Then, giving it more thought, he added, "Better buy extra insurance for the next car."


	159. Gone Too Far

Title: Gone Too Far  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo takes vacation. ROAD TRIP! (Pt. 2)

* * *

Looking at the map, Tony frowned.

"Where the hell are we?" he asked Ziva, who was laying out the family's picnic lunch at a roadside rest stop. Ziva lowered her sunglasses to study Tony.

"We are in Texas. And perhaps you should first turn the map the other way, Tony," Ziva replied.

"Heh... Yeah. Big help," Tony chuckled, embarrassed. Frowning again, he pored over the now right-side-up map. "Texas... Looks just like the last three states we drove through. Still can't tell how far we've gone. Or where we're at. Or how we got here."

"You dwive, Daddy," Sarah chirped, smiling brightly.

"Yes," Tony sighed. "Yes, I did drive us, my little tumbleweed. To the brink of God knows where." Looking at the map again, Tony's face clouded. "We're lost," he finally conceded.

"No, we are not," Ziva replied calmly. "Tony, stop worrying. Sit down and have lunch."

Sitting down at the table beside Ziva, Tony forlornly looked at the plate of food before him. For once, he wasn't hungry. Across the wooden picnic table, Sarah dug into her barbecued chicken. Baby Jack, his face already smeared with barbecue sauce, intently watched his father from over his sippy-cup. McFlea and Shep lapped up water from their dog dishes. Both had a nice lunch and, because they'd been such good dogs on the trip so far, enjoyed some special snacks Ziva had packed.

Picking at his lunch with a spork, Tony at last pushed away his paper plate.

"I can't eat at a time like this," he said miserably.

"HAH!" Ziva shot back, slicing into her chicken. "You ate EVERYTHING in the refrigerator a few weeks ago when we had no power following that rainstorm!"

"Had to," Tony replied. "Couldn't let the food go bad. Somebody had to make the sacrifice, Ziva."

Ziva rolled her eyes. Just then, her cellphone buzzed.

"You got service out here?" Tony asked, looking confused. Fiddling with his own phone, he frowned. "I can't get a single bar, even. Wish there was a REAL bar close by. Wherever 'here' is..."

"Tim says we are ten miles east of a town called Frog Springs," Ziva read, gazing at her cellphone screen. "So you see? We are not lost. We are near Frog Springs."

"McGeek saves the day," Tony said sadly. He'd wanted to be the hero in front of his family but, instead, felt as if he looked silly. Tim had control of things from hundreds of miles away.

"Eat you wunch, Daddy! We go Fwog... Fwog... Spwee!" Sarah, excited at the thought of seeing frogs, pushed Tony's plate back towards him. Tony sighed and munched solemnly at his chicken. Baby Jack, who'd finished lunch, now snacked on some grapes. He, too, was thrilled after having heard the word "frog." He knew what frogs were from Sarah having pointed them out to him in her Big Book of Animals.

"FWAH!" Jack blurted out, grinning. Sarah clapped her hands with glee.

"Sounds like we're headed to Frog Springs," Tony said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Bet they can't keep the tourists away."

"Well, I am looking forward to seeing a real western town," Ziva replied. "I like Texas. Also, I want to buy a cowboy hat. And boots. And spores."

"Spurs," Tony corrected, fixing himself a second helping of everything on the table.

"Those, too," Ziva said, getting up to help Sarah and Jack clean their hands and faces. They were ready to spend some time running around with McFlea and Shep. Everyone was happy to be out of the car. "I see you have found your appetite, my little furry mutt."

"Better load up on the chow, my ninja," Tony said between bites of mashed potatoes. "Dunno if Frog Springs has a restaurant. Or anything else."

As she watched Sarah, Jack, McFlea and Shep chase each other around the fresh-mown grass in the rest area, Ziva caressed Tony's hand.

"If there is a motel," she purred, "we should get a room."

Tony, gnawing on more chicken, gulped suddenly.

"You got it, Pardner," Tony teased. "AFTER we get you that cowboy hat. And those boots." He was picturing Ziva as a cowgirl. The fantasy brought a huge smile to his face.

"And my spores," Ziva reminded him.

"Definitely the spores," Tony said, grinning as he watched his babies and dogs play, the touch of Ziva's hand sending a thrill through him. Frog Springs sounded like heaven to Tony now. "Definitely the spores."


	160. Jump Around

Title: Jump Around  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo takes vacation. ROAD TRIP! (Pt. 3)

* * *

Abby held the postcard up, peering at the image of a '50s-era neon sign. Brightly lit against a starry night sky, the green outline of a frog was visible. On the neon frog's head was a ten-gallon hat. In its green hands were the outlines of two pistols, both in red. "HAVIN' A HOPPIN' GOOD TIME!" was emblazoned across the bottom of the card.

Turning it over, Abby read the message:

_Vacation more fun than a barrel of snakes. Wish I was THERE. Love and S.O.S. - Tony_

"Listen," Abby said, pursing her lips at Tony's scrawled writing, "I just know that, like, if it were ME staying at a place called 'Hotel Hippity-Hop'? I'd be in..."

"FROG heaven?"

Jimmy snickered at his own pun, pushing up his glasses as he smiled hopefully at Abby and Tim. Both merely stared back at him.

"Yes, actually," Abby replied in a serious tone that suggested Jimmy had stolen her punchline. Tim shrugged at Jimmy, who hastily made an exit by saying there was important work waiting for him downstairs. Abby narrowed her eyes at him as he hurried off.

"Y'know, it's no use talking to you until you've had your Caf-Pow," Tim told Abby in a kind tone.

And when she Gibbs-slapped him upside the back of the head before stalking off to the elevator, Tim wasn't the least bit surprised.

* * *

"Well, Sugarlump, I don't KNOW why there weren't any REAL frogs in Frog Springs," Tony began, eyeballing the thick pancake syrup as he poured it over his stack of hotcakes. "Maybe the frogs went south for the winter."

"It is summer, Tony," Ziva said casually. She took another sip of coffee, paying careful attention to Baby Jack as he attempted to pick up a little fork. Jack's latest favorite activity was feeding himself. Or trying to. Fork in his wobbly grip, Jack banged it happily against his plate. "Eat, Jack," Ziva scolded mildly. "Do not play with your food."

Tony, who'd been drawing a smiley-face on his pancake stack, giggled at his artwork. But Sarah, sitting next to her father, was anything but in a mood to smile.

"But it say... it say... FWOG Spwee," Sarah sighed. She'd been crestfallen since finding out that there was a decided lack of actual frogs in Frog Springs. "Daddy, dat name wong."

"Perhaps there were once frogs there, Sarah," Ziva explained helpfully. "And that is where the town got its name."

"FWAH!" Jack blurted out. Stabbing wildly at a tiny piece of pancake, he frowned as he tried to concentrate on the difficult task at hand.

Sarah sighed again and barely picked at her pancakes. She wasn't hungry at all.

"No fwogs, Jack Jack," she said miserably.

"Sorry there weren't any croakers to see, my little huevo ranchero," Tony said, patting Sarah's curly hair. "I'm sure if we'd actually SEEN a frog it would've been a really... RIBBITING sight!" Snickering at his own joke, Tony looked around the table to make sure everyone had gotten the pun. "Ribbiting... Get it? Ribbiting?"

Snarling as he tucked back into his pancakes, Tony said, "Palmer woulda gotten it. AND laughed."

* * *

After breakfast, the family loaded back into their minivan and headed north. A weatherbeaten wood sign saw them on their way, its faded painted message "Leaving Frog Springs" barely visible.

"Bye, fwogs," Sarah said with a heavy little sigh as she looked out the window at the town's little river, which hadn't delivered on its promise of frogs.

Later that afternoon, as Tony drove, he complimented Ziva again on her new boots.

"Gonna use them spurs, Pard?" he teased, winking at Ziva.

"Perhaps if I am riding a horse, Tony," Ziva replied. "Then my spores will be of use."

"You can ride MY pony anytime, my jalapeno," Tony said huskily. Ziva rolled her eyes.

"You no... you no gotta pony, Daddy," Sarah reminded Tony from her backseat perch. Nothing got by her. "You got ... gotta McFee. And Sep."

Shep, who lay dozing in Ziva's lap, wagged his little tail at the sound of his name. Meanwhile, McFlea, who'd been serving as Tony's unofficial navigator by sniffing the map and everything else in the car, let out a loud howl of joy. He loved being able to poke around the big van and stick his head out the window whenever he felt like it.

"That... was... my... EAR," Tony hissed, scowling at McFlea, who'd made his way to where he could stand, paws gripping the center compartment beside his master, just in time to yowl. Ziva just smirked and patted McFlea's big boxy head. Now Tony snarled over at her but Ziva only smiled back at him. "What're YOU laughin' at? Didn't Mr. LOUDMUTT here leave YOUR ears ringing with his wolf imitation?"

Ziva replied by saying nothing. Instead she removed the earbud she'd slipped into her ear just before McFlea's outburst, pointing at her iPod.

"Did you say something, Tony?" Ziva joked, grinning.

"Yes... Yes, I did, my prickly burr," Tony shot back, faking a huge smile. "I said 'I'm so happy my lovely wife is wearing her iPod so that she DOESN'T hear me talk about how she's always...'"

Before he could finish, Tony was rudely interrupted again. This time, not by McFlea, but by another sound that caused him to quickly pull the van over to the side of the road.

"What WAS that?" Tony demanded. Looking back at where Sarah and Jack sat, Tony's green eyes moved from Sarah's face to Baby Jack's. "Who croaked?"

Now Ziva was tired of Tony's antics. Exasperated, she sighed loudly, saying, "Nobody is DEAD, Tony. And I do NOT want to hear any more about MY being a terrible driver after the way you just..."

But Ziva, too, found her speech cut short by the sound that had Tony's full attention. Shep woke with a start, his little ears pricked up. McFlea's panting had stopped as he also stood now at attention, his floppy black ears pricked up like his son's. This was a sound he didn't know.

"Sarah..." Tony began, carefully choosing his words and tone. "Is that YOU making frog sounds?"

Sarah shook her head "no." Baby Jack, who was sort of aware that something big was happening, mimicked his sister and shook his little head "no," too.

The car was completely silent now. Everyone was anxious to again hear the little sound they all thought they'd heard before.

"ROAAAAK!"

And with that, a little frog jumped from where it had been stowing away near the luggage packed in the rear of the van. It croaked again as it sat where it felt safest, between Sarah and Jack.

"FWAH!" Jack cried, clapping his hands excitedly. "FWAH! FWAH! FWAH!"

"It a FWOG, Daddy!" Sarah squeaked with glee. Fearlessly, she greeted her new friend. "Hi Fwog!" she said politely. "It okay." The little frog seemed to know she meant it no harm and jumped into her lap, delighting Sarah. "We keep him, Mommy, pwease?"

McFlea, who knew all about squirrels but hadn't made friends with any frogs yet, cautiously turned himself around and sniffed gently at the little visitor. Not liking what he smelled, he recoiled and whined. The frog croaked at him. Baby Jack giggled.

"No, Sarah," Ziva said as kindly as she could, hating to be the bearer of bad news, "we cannot keep the frog. The best thing to do for him is to let him go. He needs to be near water and back in his own home." Sarah looked sad but, imagining the frog being far away from his froggy friends if he went to her house, understood what her mother was trying to say.

"The best thing for HIM?" Tony scoffed. "The best thing for that ... THING... is for it to jump outta the VAN!" Addressing the frog directly, Tony snarled. "Beat it, you overgrown jumping slimeball! AM-SCRAY! We're gonna have to wipe down the whole van now. OUT, KERMIT! OUT!"

Sarah petted the frog sweetly but looked as if she would burst out crying any moment. She didn't like her daddy yelling at her little friend. Baby Jack's eyes were wide with fear. He didn't like to hear his daddy yelling at all, even though he himself enjoyed hollering when he wanted attention. Shep whimpered, curling up in Ziva's lap. McFlea, finding nowhere to hide, lay down behind Tony's seat and whined softly.

"Tony!" Ziva hissed.

Realizing that he'd scared his children and pets, Tony sighed, looking absolutely miserable. He had to make this right.

"Everyone okay with going BACK to Frog Springs?" he said in a conciliatory tone. "Let's get this little guy back home."

* * *

Later that evening, as he sipped a glass of milk with his pie, Tony grinned as he accepted a little kiss on the cheek from Sarah.

"Well, sure, Snugglepumpkin, I think Mr. Froggles looked happy when we put him in the mud by the spring. He was croakin' to beat the band." Tony sighed. "Daddy's shoes weren't looking so good, though. Had no idea that mud was so deep. Guess we'll hit that western wear shop tomorrow before we start towards home. Daddy needs boots."

"Daddy WANTS boots," Ziva corrected, knowing that Tony didn't miss his old shoes that much. He wanted a pair of cowboy boots to show off to Gibbs when they got home.

"BOO!" Baby Jack said, trying out another new word. "BOO! BOO!"

"Daddy!" Sarah scolded, poking out her bottom lip at Tony. "You not COW... COWBWOY!"

"Oh," Tony replied, putting on his best "sad" face. "What if Daddy wants to be a cowboy? Can't Daddy be a cowboy?"

"No," Sarah answered. "You DADDY, Daddy."

"Aw, alright," Tony teased, winking at Ziva. "I'll just stay Daddy. I'll leave the cowboying to the Boss. And Uncle Mike. And your mother."

Plopping her ten-gallon hat on, which got the children giggling, Ziva raised an eyebrow at Tony.

"That is right," Ziva said smugly. "Tell Gibbs and Mike that the old sheriff has left the town."

"You mean," Tony corrected, "that there's a NEW sheriff in town."

"Absolutely," Ziva stated, adjusting her hat. "And her name is Mommy."


	161. Oh Very Young

Title: Oh Very Young  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva's babies are growing up.

* * *

Tony's green eyes were as sad as Ziva could ever remember seeing them. But she couldn't imagine why.

It was a lovely day — sun shining brightly, crisp autumn breeze rustling the leaves in the trees at the neighborhood park... Maybe Tony was feeling down because the family's road trip hadn't turned out exactly as planned and work awaited them that Monday. Vacation would be over soon.

Taking occasion to rest her head on Tony's shoulder, Ziva watched Sarah, Jack and the dogs running around at play in the park's big grass field. Tony, too, was focused on them.

"The babies aren't babies anymore," Tony said after a lengthy silence. "Sarah's already two and look at Jack — couple months ago he could barely stand up and now he's running almost as fast as she is."

"And falling much harder," Ziva noted drily. "AND screaming much louder when he falls."

"Yeah," Tony sighed. "He's eating us out of house and home, too. Went through a whole pack of Lil' Snax yesterday afternoon in one sitting. Sucked down two bottles of milk. Must be having a growth spurt."

"I believe he has inherited YOUR appetite, Tony," Ziva teased. Tony snickered, a little smile finally crossing his face.

"Heh... Funny, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said. "He's got more energy than his old man, though. Had to take a nap the other night after I gave him his bath. Wore me out playing 'Let's Splash Daddy.' Sarah was always good in the tub. She never went nuts like Jack does, making a mess. Crazy little monkey..."

"Sarah is not a baby boy," Ziva pointed out. "But she has her moments."

"HO yeah!" Tony agreed. "Did you see her playing 'Boss Boss' yesterday? She had Jack, the dogs, the whole Zoo AND that damn cat of Abby's all sitting in a row in the backyard while she told them they'd better be good. The cat wasn't having any of it; she just jumped on McFlea's back and went to sleep. Jack was paying attention. Sarah told him to sit by the tree and guard the squirrels and he hopped to."

"He loves his big sister and that is a good thing," Ziva said.

"He knows she's boss," Tony remarked, watching Sarah take Jack's hand and guide him to the baby playground, where he promptly hollered as loud as he could into a huge plastic cone. Jack, having alarmed the other babies nearby, giggled mischievously. "That bad," Sarah gently scolded. "You be good." Wanting to please his sister, Jack said "Sah" — he'd heard Sarah use the word "sorry" when she was bad and figured he should try it — and the pair headed off to repair the damage of Jack's having yelled by playing hide-and-go-seek with some other toddlers. Sarah quickly established herself as being in charge of the game, even though the other youngsters were older.

"Look at her," Tony marveled, "telling those kids where the best hiding places are. She's so smart... too smart sometimes. She's not scared of anything."

"Except thunderstorms and lightning," Ziva mused. "And the leafblower."

Now Tony had to laugh. Of all the things to be afraid of, only the leafblower sent Sarah scurrying to her room. He wasn't sure if it was the loud hum it made or how it blew away everything in its path, but his baby girl feared the tool. So Tony rarely used it. And never without giving advance warning.

"Here's someone else who hates the leafblower," Tony joked as McFlea ambled up to lay down beside him. Like Sarah, McFlea panicked at the sound of the leafblower. He worried that it would blow away the squirrels, too.

Shep followed his father, carefully taking a seat in Ziva's lap.

"Look how big Shep is," Tony said, giving McFlea a good scratching behind the ears. McFlea yowled with joy. "Not a puppy anymore."

"No, you are NOT, are you, Shepard?" Ziva agreed, nuzzling Shep, who barked happily. He'd been eating more and growing bigger, stronger and taller by the day. Shep was about half McFlea's size now, so tall that Kitty Kate had to climb on her adopted son's back in order to give him his daily baths. But Shep patiently endured Kitty Kate's meticulous behind the ears cleanings because he loved his "mother."

He was also partial to Ziva, who could always count on Shep to help dig up weeds in the yard. He loved to use his big paws to dig out anything. Getting dirty thrilled him as much as it frustrated Kitty Kate, who wanted her son to be spotlessly clean. McFlea missed being able to snuggle with his little son in the dog bed but was glad to have someone to wrestle playfully with out in the yard. This, too, got Kitty Kate flicking her tail in distress. She didn't like Shep tumbling around, growling and playfully biting at his father. Her sweet little baby was now big and strong and she missed being able to pat his little head with her paw to get him to go to sleep. He had so much energy that she had stopped trying to keep up with him.

"DA! DA! DA! DA! DA!" Baby Jack squeaked with glee, running as fast as his little legs would carry him towards Tony. Chasing him down was Sarah, who laughed uncontrollably when she wasn't making tiger growl sounds. When he reached his father, Jack tried to "hide" by curling up into a ball and tucking himself into Tony's stomach. Tony gave Sarah a quick wink and wrapped his arms around his baby boy.

"You looking for someone, Tiger Girl?" Tony asked Sarah, winking again. Sarah growled in response and Jack giggled. Ziva, too, snickered; Jack loved playing Jungle Boy and roaring like a fierce little lion all over the house but when chased by a curly-mopped tiger, he ran to his parents for protection. "Oh... A jungle boy? I don't see any little jungle boys around here. Think you'd better check in with Ninja Mommy for some snacks. I don't think jungle boys smell so good anyway. Phew-eee!"

Tony wrinkled his nose playfully but sighed, realizing that Baby Jack needed a major diaper change. Peeping out at Sarah from his father's arms, Jack giggled again. He was just happy that a tiger wasn't going to eat him that day. Sarah and Ziva rested together with the dogs, snacking on fruit and water. Meanwhile, Tony got to his feet and, hauling Jack up against his shoulder, picked up his Daddy Pack. The pair headed towards the park restroom.

"You're safe for now, Tarzan," Tony quipped to Jack as they neared their destination, "but when we get back, if that tiger's still hungry it's every jungle boy for himself."


	162. I Turn My Camera On

Title: I Turn My Camera On  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony goes undercover as a TV star. Sort of undercover, anyway.

* * *

"MAKEUP!"

Tony grimaced as the hefty woman screamed again, right beside his ear, for more help prepping him for the next scene. It would be a tight shot and apparently he still didn't have the right "look."

"Cancel that BOLO on the makeup," Tony said, sniffing manfully. He leaned back in the folding canvas chair he'd been confined to for most of the morning. Pointing to his face with both index fingers, he flashed his most dazzling grin at the big woman hovering near him. "You can't improve on perfection," he said, winking at the woman.

"MAKEUP ON THE DOUBLE!" the big woman bellowed, causing Tony to flinch.

"Some people have no eye for natural beauty," he muttered to himself as the makeup assistants came charging into view. The big woman snarled at him and Tony recoiled, shuddering, as the assistants descended upon him, brushing at his face with thick powders and patting his skin with heavy pads.

* * *

"Grab your gear!" Tony barked to the trio sitting at their desks. "We got a dead Marine over at Quantico."

"CUT!"

Tony sighed, rolling his eyes, and glared over at the director.

"Cut? Whaddaya MEAN 'Cut'? That was PERFECT! I nailed it!" Scowling, he repeated his lines. "Grab your gear? Dead Marine at Quantico?" Then Tony addressed the director personally. "Rick, c'mon! We don't need another take. That's how federal agents TALK, man!"

"It is? Did you even read the script? Are you sure you've done this before?" the director asked Tony. The entire crew stared at Tony as if he had three heads.

"Done this before?" Tony replied, laughing nervously. "Rick! Ricky Baby... I could do this in my SLEEP!"

"Maybe we should film him next time he takes a nap, then," a cameraman said wryly to Rick the director. Rick nodded in agreement.

* * *

The little star on the door hung at a precarious angle, appearing as if it might fall the next time the door was opened or closed. On it, the name "TONY DiNARDO" had been hastily scrawled — by a stagehand with a Sharpie. On masking tape.

"I said I wanted a mocha LATTE!" Tony snapped, spitting out the coffee a set worker had brought him. Snarling at the young man, he added, "'Best Boy,' my hairy hairy CHEST!"

The young man removed his iPod earbuds just long enough to explain.

"Sorry, dude, but Rick said, like, we only have decaf right now." The man shrugged his shoulders, rolling his eyes. "Like, we have that creamer that's, you know, like, a powder? You want that, dude?"

"No, I do NOT... dude," Tony hissed, sniffing at his cup of decaf. He retched, making little gagging sounds.

"Um, dude?" the kid began, "Like, if you're gonna hurl or something I'll, like, have to, you know, like, clean it up and stuff. So, like, um... Can you, you know, like totally NOT hurl?"

Sighing, Tony lay his head down on his dressing room table — a foldaway card table that had been brought in at the last minute to serve in a new role.

"Like, go AWAY," Tony said miserably. "And send me someone who knows how a TV STAR should be treated."

"Oh, DUDE!" the kid exclaimed giddily. "Do you, like, KNOW a REAL TV STAR?"

* * *

The next morning, Ziva was startled to find a rumpled, unshaven, bleary-eyed Tony sitting at the kitchen table. He stared blankly at the refrigerator, where Sarah's latest drawing of Tony The Tiger — a whirl of orange and black Crayola with huge triangular teeth — was taped in the center. Ziva kissed her husband's forehead and he snarled in reply.

"You are back already? I thought you would be in Los Angeles through the weekend." Ziva frowned, confused. "Did you find our suspect on the set?"

"Didn't have time," Tony growled. "Too busy learning my lines. Lotta work being on TV."

"I see," Ziva said, making coffee. "And when will we have a chance to watch Tony DiNardo on 'AWOL'?" She smirked, knowing Tony had been thrilled at the opportunity to pretend he was a TV star.

"Never," Tony said, pouting. "Director cut out all my scenes. Said nobody would ever buy me as a federal agent. They recast the role. Callen and the L.A. group are taking over on the inside. Like anyone's gonna think HE knows his way around a set."

"Ohhhh," Ziva purred, patting Tony's head tenderly. He narrowed his eyes at the coffee she set before him. "Who will be playing the part of Special Agent Gibbons, then?"

* * *

"OK, seriously, dude? We gotta motor. There's, like, a dead dude on the beach and nobody's gonna be able to surf until we, you know, roll up and stuff."

"CUT!" Rick the director yelled. "That was PERFECT! Let's wrap for the day, everybody. You know," Rick said, patting his actor on the shoulder, "you're a real natural at this. I see a long future ahead for you in TV."

"Bitchin'," the young man said before replacing his iPod earbuds as he headed to his dressing room past a discarded star that had fallen off the door.


	163. Superstar

Title: Superstar  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo rallies around its wannabe TV star.

* * *

Nothing was helping, not even the many Gibbs-Slaps to the back of his head. Tony remained inconsolable over the fact that nobody had taken him seriously as a TV star on his most recent undercover assignment. His usual good cheer and playfulness was nowhere to be found.

"Never seen him like this," Tim whispered to Ziva as they studied Tony, who sat at his desk staring into space.

"Yes, he has been depressed for over a week now," Ziva agreed.

"No," Tim replied, "I mean I've never seen him like THIS - quiet. Not running his mouth. It's not the Tony we know... and, God help me, I LIKE it."

McGee couldn't help being a little bit happy that Tony wasn't his usual self. There had been no insults directed his way, no puns on his last name, no loud bragging. Work was being done quickly, efficiently and, most importantly, quietly. Tim had gotten more done in the week since Tony's TV debacle than he had in over six-plus years at NCIS. He did feel sorry for his friend and hated that Tony was upset. But a quiet Tony was a good Tony and Tim was enjoying the silence. If only Tony could be this way when he wasn't depressed...

"Well, I do NOT!" Ziva hissed, glaring at Tim. "We have two children at home who do not understand why their father does not even try to hide when they shoot at him."

"Shoot at him?" Tim said, alarmed. "Shouldn't you lock up your..."

"With the string," Ziva explained, looking at Tim as if he were crazy. "The string that shoots out. What is it called?"

"Silly String," Tim answered.

"I KNOW IT IS STRING, MAH-GEE!" Ziva shot back. "And you do NOT have to call me 'SILLY'!" With that, she stalked angrily back to her desk, casting one last snarl in Tim's direction.

"I knew I should've taken the long way to work today," Tim sighed.

* * *

At dinner that night, Tony didn't even touch his spaghetti and meatballs. The food, one of his favorite meals besides pizza or Chinese, had turned cold. And Tony had hardly eaten anything all day. Ziva worried; he hadn't even snacked once at work since his return from Los Angeles.

"Eat you pagetti, Daddy," Sarah said sweetly, patting Tony's arm. "It good."

"Puh geh," Baby Jack muttered, trying to place some cut-up spaghetti on his baby fork. He now tried to parrot whatever Sarah said.

"Tony, you should eat," Ziva pleaded, looking worried. "You are looking thin."

"Thought you wanted me to lose a few pounds," Tony said quietly, pushing his food around on his plate.

"Not like this," Ziva said. "You are making yourself sick. It worries me."

"Sorry," Tony sighed. "I'm just not hungry, Ziva."

"Why are you so upset about that TV show?" Ziva asked. "It was only an undercover assignment. You were not expected to become a REAL actor. You were there to investigate."

"It's not about being on TV," Tony said miserably. "It's because they said I wasn't believable as a federal agent. At ALL. You know how that made me feel? Like everything Vance or Gibbs or everyone else has ever said about me bein' a screwup was right on the money. I couldn't even make those TV people see me for who I really am. They laughed when I said 'Well, what if I told you I really WAS a fed and was here undercover?' Ziva, the director cracked up when I said that. Told me I should try my hand at bein' a comedian. He SAID that."

"YOU should never have even JOKED about your assignment," Ziva scolded. "Tony, that was NOT smart."

"Yeah," Tony said softly. "I'm not smart."

"Tony, that was not what I..." Ziva began. But Tony rose from the table and started for the hallway.

"I'm goin' to bed," he said quietly.

* * *

Covers piled high over his head, Tony lay in the darkness staring at the window overlooking his front lawn. Moonlight streamed in through the panes, casting opaque figures on the hardwood floor. He heard the bedroom door creak open but didn't stir.

"Daddy?"

Now Tony felt the all-too-familiar sensation of hands and feet pushing against him as they crawled over the blankets. Little hands pressed his tummy; tiny feet kicked against tender areas. It wasn't on purpose. The hands and feet were looking for a warm place to snuggle. This usually happened on early weekend mornings, followed by sloppy wet dog kisses right on Tony's face. Tonight, though, this was a surprise.

"Da Da?"

Tony sighed, hearing Sarah and Baby Jack call for him. He always loved playing with his babies but tonight he just wanted to be alone and brood. Obviously this wasn't meant to be. Baby Jack's foot then stepped right on Tony in a highly sensitive spot and Tony bolted upright in the bed, hollering out in real pain. Ziva, who'd been watching from the doorway, rushed to the bed. Sarah plopped down beside her father while Baby Jack stood looking innocently at his daddy. Usually, he was the one doing the yelling and it was odd to hear his daddy being loud.

"Are you alright?" Ziva asked, hauling Jack into her arms. Tony grimaced, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain. Sarah buried her face in her mother's pillow, peeping up at Tony.

"Nope," Tony whimpered, groaning. He was in too much pain to move.

"Take deep breaths," Ziva suggested. In truth, she had no idea of what Tony should do. Usually, when he moaned and whined like this it had everything to do with pleasure, not pain. Tony lay back, testing Ziva's advice. It helped. A little.

Sarah sat up now and patted Tony's little gut.

"It okay, Daddy," she said in a soothing tone. "Jack Jack sowwy."

Ziva carefully placed Baby Jack against Tony's side. Jack patted at his daddy's chest, saying "Saw" over and over.

Once Tony's pain had somewhat subsided, Ziva told him that some of his biggest fans had a surprise for him. Tony sighed.

"What fans?" he said miserably. "I don't have any fans."

"You," Ziva corrected, "have a fan club. And they follow your every move."

"Funny, Sweet Cheeks," Tony replied.

"AND," Ziva went on, "your fan club has a present for you. To celebrate your stardom."

"Ziva, c'mon," Tony sighed, feeling awful. "Just cut it out, okay?"

Sarah fumbled for the light beside the bed, finally snapping it on, and smiled down at her daddy. Baby Jack giggled, still patting Tony's chest. From behind some covers, Sarah produced a homemade cardboard cut-out of a star. Scrawled on it in pink crayon was the word "DADDY."

"This fow you, Daddy," Sarah said sweetly. "It you tee-bee staw." Baby Jack seconded this, mumbling "Staw" as he snuggled against Tony.

Taking the little star from Sarah, Tony touched it gently, tracing each letter scrawled in crayon with his index finger. Ziva wiped at her eyes. She didn't want the children to think she, too, was sad.

"Thank you, Snugglepumpkin," Tony said, half-whispering, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, too, Monkeybumps." Laying his star on his tummy, Tony pulled Sarah and Jack to him, giving each a gentle kiss on the cheek. They giggled. "Fan club, huh?" Tony then said to Ziva.

"We think you are a star, even if you are not on TV," Ziva said, winking.

* * *

"Bank robbery at Quantico," Gibbs barked to the team the next morning. "Grab yer gear." Walking past Tony's desk, Gibbs grinned and winked, saying, "Let's go, Daddy-O."

Hauling up his backpack, Tony raced towards the elevator with Ziva and McGee, the little cardboard star taped to the front of his desk announcing to the whole of NCIS that a celebrity was in their midst.


	164. Right Time Of The Night

Title: Right Time Of The Night  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: On a chilly night, Camp DiNozzo is plenty cozy.

* * *

The first truly cold winds whipped at the windows as Tony lay on the living room sofa, eyelids heavy and drooping as he fought the urge to nap while watching the Ohio State football game on TV. He was tired from working on Ziva's latest Honey-Do list all day but it was a good feeling, a worthy exhaustion. And Ziva had made a truly delicious pot of chili for supper, which Tony couldn't get enough of. Well-fed and treating himself to a cold beer, he'd settled in for the game and was glad to relax at home with his family.

Jack, dressed in his red and gray Baby Buckeye pajamas, snuggled against his daddy's chest. Having had a warm bath, diaper change and dusting with baby powder, Baby Jack was in a quiet, contented mood. Blackie The Bull occasionally bounced softly on Tony's little gut; Jack Jack had him firmly in his grip and patting Tony with the fuzzy toy was Baby Jack's way of cheering for his father's football team. Jack wasn't sure why he should be happy for the TV men but if his daddy was happy, then he was happy too.

Sarah, who liked the football on TV and usually watched with Tony, had other matters to attend to this particular night. Tony The Tiger had a little head cold and was wrapped up in a blanket at Zoo Hospital. Dr. Jenny Giraffe was on the case, having consulted with Dr. Sarah, and Tony The Tiger was being bandaged up, having his temperature taken, getting his stripey orange chest listened to with the stethoscope and being asked repeatedly to say "Ahh" and "Tick ow you tung." Fortunately, Tony The Tiger was a good patient. Drs. Jenny and Sarah worried about the baby, Schlep The Camel, getting sick because his daddy wasn't feeling good. So Schlep and the rest of the Zoo were in quarantine, swaddled in their own little blanket nearby so they could keep each other warm. "It code owside," Dr. Sarah told Dr. Jenny. Dr. Jenny nodded in agreement and Dr. Sarah finished bandaging Tony The Tiger, who now resembled The Mummy. "You go sweep now," Dr. Sarah told Tony The Tiger. "You go sweep too," she also told Dr. Jenny, who snuggled in beside her favorite patient. Jenny Giraffe seemingly never got sick; it was as if she had superpowers the rest of the Zoo didn't. Dr. Sarah's work done, she rested (having been confined to the house all day with a case of sniffles and coughing herself, just like her patient was suffering) and watched...

... McFlea and Shep wrestling playfully near the kitchen entrance, occasionally growling or yelping when one or the other accidentally nipped at an ear or a leg. But father and son were only working off energy after chowing down heartily on some Bowser Beef Stew Bits. After a few minutes going at it, McFlea and Shep — who was now half as big as his father — took a breather, panting as they trotted off into the kitchen for some much-needed water. Then they padded back into the living room and lay down under the loveseat near the now-sleeping Sarah, who was snuggled in her favorite blanket with Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe. Within minutes, the dogs were sound asleep, their chests rising and falling in unison, an occasional growl coming from one or the other of the two as they chased rabbits in their dreams.

While her family went about its business, Ziva luxuriated in her warm bath, the frothy bubbles making it look as if she were covered in snow. Tony had washed the dinner dishes, bathed the children and gotten them into their pajamas. _YOU need a timeout, Sweet Cheeks,_ he'd told Ziva. Perhaps later she would reward him for spending his day hard at work on the list she'd given him that morning; Tony never said no to one of her special massages. She was truly blessed to have found him, Ziva knew, and she was proud of how Tony had grown into the kind of husband and father that most people likely thought he'd never be. How did she ever get so lucky?

And how did Roxanne LeFlooz, the heroine in Ziva's new paperback romance novel, manage to resist the charms of handsome French playboy Pierre Jaundice? Tonight, these were the only sorts of questions Ziva had to consider. Well, this and which ice cream flavor to treat herself to after her bath. That might be a difficult decision, indeed.


	165. You Belong To Me

Title: You Belong To Me  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Jealous Tony rears his jealous head again when Ziva reconnects with an old friend.

* * *

"Who's sunset28581?" Tony asked nonchalantly as he and Ziva worked together, washing and drying the dinner dishes. In the other room, Sarah, Jack and the dogs played Jungle, the occasional eruption of high-pitched giggles serving as evidence that things were going well.

"An old friend," Ziva replied. "Have you been looking at my work email, Tony?" She wasn't angry, just curious.

"Define 'old friend,'" Tony went on, choosing to ignore Ziva's question.

"An old friend... from Mossad," Ziva said. Now her curiosity was starting to give way to anger. "You have not answered my question."

"And you haven't answered mine," Tony snapped, throwing down his dishrag as he yanked open the door to the back porch, slamming it in his wake as he stalked off to the garage. Ziva watched him go, sighing while she closed her eyes.

* * *

There was nothing, really, on the Mustang to fix but Tony needed the feel of a tool in his hand, a task to force himself to at least try concentrating on. When he couldn't find the right wrench, he flipped the only one available onto his workbench and, opening the little refrigerator next to his work area, took out a cold bottle of beer. Opening it, he gulped down as much as he could in one swallow, wiping his mouth afterwards. There were only two beers left; Tony snarled, seeing this.

_Need more beer,_ he thought. _Shoulda stocked up Saturday instead of goin' to that gardening seminar with Ziva._

"Tony..." Ziva began. She stood at the garage side doorway, watching her husband. It was obvious that Jealous Tony was now in full control of Tony's emotions. This would not be the sort of night Ziva had hoped it would be when she'd suggested the family have an early dinner. She'd wanted to be alone with Tony. Now she was, but not in the manner she'd planned.

"You tell sunset28581 about that gardening thing we went to Saturday?" Jealous Tony asked. "He have any suggestions about which bulbs you oughta plant this fall? Or is that not proper Mossad talk?"

Tony wouldn't look at Ziva. His lip curled as he picked at the beer bottle label.

"I did, actually," Ziva said. "My friend suggests Hyacinths."

"STOP SAYIN' 'MY FRIEND'!" Tony yelled, his jealousy at last getting the best of him. "WHO IS HE?"

Ziva forced herself to take a deep breath before responding. She also worked hard to not glare at Tony. This wasn't who he really was, Ziva knew. Or maybe it was.

"My friend," Ziva said with emphasis, "is a man I worked with on a mission long before I came to NCIS."

"Oh..." Tony chuckled mockingly. "So you've been pen-pals with this guy all while we've been married. When I asked you to marry me. When we were seein' each other. Even before that, huh? Well, that's... that's... that's _nice_, Sweet Cheeks. That is _REAL_ damn nice." Hurling his beer bottle across the garage, Tony banked if off the side of the trash can before it fell in.

"My friend is gay," Ziva said.

Tony turned to face her, a look of complete confusion on his handsome face.

"He is gay," Ziva repeated. "If Mossad were to find out... there might be... problems... for him. He trusts me, Tony. He knows that I will not betray his secret and so he sometimes messages me when he needs to talk about his situation. That is the extent of our relationship. We are friends. And that is all we have been — or ever will be."

Tony sighed. Once again he'd assumed the worst about a situation before getting all the facts. And again, he looked like a fool.

"Ziva..." Tony found that he couldn't face his wife. He was ashamed of himself.

"You have jumped on a gun again," Ziva replied in a surprisingly even tone. "Jealous Tony is out, playing."

There was nothing Tony could say. Ziva was, as usual, exactly right. All he could do was stare blankly at the floor.

"I'm sorry," Tony said softly.

"You're jealous," Ziva said. "But I ... understand."

"You do?" This truly surprised Tony. He'd been expecting a heated confrontation, not a concession.

"Strangely enough, it is one of the qualities that I ... do love about you. I cannot explain why. Maybe it is because I know that you are... a protective man. You are afraid to lose what is yours." Ziva sidled over to Tony, standing next to him. "I do not like the idea of losing what is mine, either."

"Can't help being jealous of you," Tony admitted. "I always have been, you know. Even before we got together. Hated thinking of you with other guys." Tony hesitated a moment before continuing, "Just like you must've hated hearing about me being with other women. Or knowing about me and Jeanne."

"It was... not easy to say nothing," Ziva conceded. "I loved you."

"I loved you, too," Tony said in a near whisper.

"I love you now," Ziva said softly.

"I love you, too," Tony replied, his green eyes pleading with Ziva for a chance to make things right.

"And now," Ziva said brightly, "I believe some jungle children and animals should get a good night's sleep. Do you agree, my little furry mutt?"

"Yeah," Tony answered, grinning. "What about us? We need a good night's sleep, too?"

"No," Ziva replied firmly. "We do not. But you may become sleepy... afterwards."

"I always do," Tony said. "You do, too."

Saying nothing else, Ziva smiled suggestively as she took Tony's hand, leading him out of the garage. And then all was silent as he switched off the light, closing the door behind them.


	166. Tomorrow's Gonna Be A Brighter Day

Title: Tomorrow's Gonna Be A Brighter Day  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony takes Ziva out for a special afternoon.

* * *

It was nice, Ziva had to admit to herself, not knowing where Tony was taking her. The ultimate surprise, he'd called their outing.

Tony was uncharacteristically quiet as he drove along the highway headed out of D.C. Ziva watched him at the wheel of the Mustang, thinking how comfortable he looked driving along this two-lane road in the country. All the expensive suits and flash also suited Tony but Ziva was most attracted to her husband when he shed his Very Special Agent persona and indulged in being the man he worked so hard to hide from most people. This was the Tony she'd fallen for, the man who was a tender and loving father to his children and a faithful husband to her.

Ziva had never imagined she could be so happy, so content as this. Her life had been mapped out for her; she'd been raised not as a girl growing to womanhood, but as a weapon of the state — a tool that Mossad would use at will to protect her homeland. But on this day, she was far removed from that existence. Aside from keeping her cellphone close in case Abby should call with a message about Sarah, Jack and the dogs, there were no missions or operations awaiting Ziva. She and Tony had this Saturday to themselves.

After taking some twists and turns along the two-lane, Tony slowed the car and pulled off the highway. Ziva, who'd been tracking their trip via the roadsigns naming the small towns to the west of Washington in northern Virginia, noted that they had arrived in Front Royal. The town, nestled in the Shenandoah Valley, was the picture of a quaint village and Ziva relished the lovely scenery. Front Royal's trees were displaying a colorful array of autumn hues; Ziva couldn't wait to get out of the car and walk among them.

Once he'd parked the car, Tony shut off the engine and, before opening his door, winked at Ziva. Then he got out, opened the trunk and pulled out a quilt and picnic basket before coming around to open Ziva's door. Taking Ziva's hand, Tony led her along a little wooded path as they made their way to an open, grassy area overlooking some foothills and the town below. He spread out the quilt and set down the basket before he and Ziva sat to enjoy the view.

"Tony, this is lovely," Ziva said. Her brown eyes scanned the horizon. "How did you find this place?"

"Been here before, Sweet Cheeks," Tony replied, closing his eyes as he basked in the sunlight. "Spent one of the best afternoons of my life here a couple years ago. Just went out driving and found this little spot of heaven. Never forgot it."

"Oh," Ziva said softly, casting her eyes down at the grass. "I see."

Tony wasn't sure why Ziva's good mood had changed so quickly. He glanced over at her, noting how her pretty face had clouded at the mention of how he'd discovered this special getaway. Then it hit him.

"No, it wasn't like that," Tony said. "I drove out here alone. When I had to tell Jeanne about... the truth... about me... I was depressed. You remember."

Ziva nodded that she did.

"And I ended up out here and I just sat down — right here in this spot — and I started thinking about everything that had happened and how I'd felt confused when Jeanne and I were seeing each other. I was never really happy, seeing her; I just had to tell myself that I was because it was part of the job, y'know? So I thought about what _really_ made me happy in life. Movies, pizza, Ohio State football, snazzy suits..."

"Tony..." Ziva began.

"...AND a certain raven-haired ninja with brown eyes that could stare into my soul," Tony went on. "Couldn't stop thinking of you that day, Ziva. I just laid here and imagined what it would be like if you were with me. I gotta say, it didn't suck."

Ziva chuckled, covering her mouth as she laughed.

"I am guessing it was quite the fantasy," Ziva mused, a wry grin playing at her lips.

"Quite, indeed," Tony said. "You were naked. I was wearing a necktie. There was cake."

"Cake? What kind of cake?" Ziva asked. She was surprised that she actually wanted to know this small detail.

"Yellow cake," Tony replied, licking his teeth with his tongue. "Dark chocolate icing. It was delicious."

"Oh, I imagine so," Ziva said.

"And," Tony added, peeping into the picnic basket, "well, just look what we have here. Why, it's yellow cake — with dark chocolate icing."

"I am sure that it is... delicious," Ziva said, offering Tony a suggestive gaze.

"It is, my cupcake," Tony said huskily. "Made it myself."

"HA!" Ziva shot back, startling Tony. "YOU did not bake that cake! YOU had MahGee bake it FOR you!"

"Lies! All... vicious... LIES!" Tony countered. "And how'd you know?"

"ABBY told me," Ziva said, grinning.

"You can't believe anything she says after she's had a couple Caf-Pows," Tony snarled.

"Fine. Then I will tell myself that YOU baked me a cake. And that you put together this picnic." Now Ziva opened one half of the picnic basket, peering in at the contents. "Ooooh..." she gasped, "wine!"

"YES, there's wine!" Tony snapped, hurriedly closing the side of the basket Ziva was looking in. He'd wanted everything to be a surprise and Ziva was ruining things. "All will be revealed to you in good time, my lamb. So... quit lookin'."

"Did I see condoms next to the wine glasses, Tony?" Ziva raised an eyebrow at Tony, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Maybe," Tony said, narrowing his eyes back at his wife.

"Will we need them?" Ziva asked.

"Maybe," Tony said, groaning as he pulled Ziva to him, wrapping her in his arms. His mouth pressed against Ziva's lips as his tongue searched hers hungrily.

"And if I would like a piece of the cake?" Ziva teased, her fingers unbuttoning Tony's shirt. "Right now?"

"Maybe," Tony whispered. "Maybe..."


	167. Say Yes

Title: Say Yes  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony pops "the question" to Ziva.

* * *

"So, uh..." Tony began, zipping up his jeans as he lay back on the quilt, working hard to catch his breath. "You think you're... you know? 'Cause last time we... went out to the park together... you ended up..."

Ziva scarfed down the last of her chocolate cake, wiping a stray crumb from the side of her mouth as she gazed down at Tony. Her black bra contrasted starkly with her skin; she hadn't yet bothered to put her t-shirt back on.

"I believe we should give it... say... a month or so?" Ziva replied, laying down beside Tony on the quilt. She caressed his chest hair as she snuggled against his bare shoulder.

"Let's try again," Tony suggested. "Just to be on the safe side."

"If we must," Ziva murmured, her hands tugging at the zipper of Tony's jeans as he pulled her down against his body once again.


	168. Don't Worry Baby

Title: Don't Worry Baby  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva gets stunning news that sends Tony into a panic.

* * *

"NO! No damn WAY they can DO this to you - to US!"

Ziva had delivered her news as calmly as possible but she knew this would be Tony's initial response. When Gibbs had told her of her new assignment, she'd wanted to react in a similar way but hadn't done so. Her years of Mossad training had ensured that she could control such emotions. Tony, however, had no such filters.

"Tony, this is not anything I volunteered for. But it is required of me just as it was required of you and all other..." Ziva began, trying to explain how they might handle the difficult position they now found themselves in.

"THE HELL WITH THAT!" Tony yelled, furious. "SCREW THE RULES, ZIVA! WE'VE GOT TWO BABIES TO TAKE CARE OF HERE! YOU'RE A MOM - MAYBE GONNA BE ONE AGAIN SOON, TOO, AND GIBBS IS JUST GONNA LET NCIS SEND YOU OUT TO SEA? HELL, NO! I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!"

"And HOW will you stop it?" Ziva asked, hands on her hips as she challenged Tony for a straight answer. Her dark brown eyes met Tony's; he quickly looked away.

"Well, I'll... I'll... uh..." Tony stammered, "Okay, okay... HELL, I'll tell Gibbs that I'M gonna go back out as Agent Afloat in your PLACE! You've gotta stay home and look after the kids!"

"Now JUST a minute!" Ziva shot back. "YOU are insinuating that I should not perform Agent Afloat service because of our children! I resent that! I am just as capable of going to sea as YOU were - MORE capable, in fact!"

"And you're not gonna miss Sarah? Or Jack? Or me?"

Tony and Ziva glared at each other for a long, silent minute.

"Of course I will," Ziva replied softly.

"Then don't take the assignment," Tony whispered.

"I have no choice, Tony," Ziva answered.

"You're gonna leave us," Tony choked out. He was finding this all too much to take.

"For a while," Ziva whispered, "I must."

"Then we better go tell the kids," Tony said hoarsely, wondering how he was going to handle things in Ziva's absence.

"Yes," Ziva sighed, wiping back tears. "We should."


	169. Heads You Win Tails I Lose

Title: Heads You Win - Tails I Lose  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva's new assignment causes trouble between Tony and Tim.

* * *

Arriving at NCIS earlier than usual, McGee was surprised to see Tony at his desk. Although Ziva was always at work before the rest of the team, Tony rarely if ever showed up before 7 a.m. and never started his day before sometime around 8 — after he'd had breakfast. And coffee. Plus at least one snack.

"Up with the roosters today, Tony?" McGee joked, offering his friend a grin. But Tony didn't look up from his work. He just remained silent. "Okay..." McGee sighed to himself, taking a seat at his own desk.

Obviously, Tony wasn't in a good mood — again — so McGee figured he'd leave him alone for yet another day. The Bullpen had been awfully quiet over the past few weeks. Tim had thought he'd work more efficiently if Tony wasn't talking a mile a minute but now he realized how wrong he was. All the team's chatter actually sparked creativity, Tim now understood. Also, he missed Tony's yammering, he had to admit to himself. The fact was, with Ziva having just left for Agent Afloat duty on the USS Stingray, nothing felt right in the office these days.

And then there would be the really uncomfortable time of day when Gibbs arrived. Tim used to look forward to The Boss's arrival; now he dreaded it.

This day, Tim wouldn't have to wait long.

"Grab your gear. Robbery at the hospital pharmacy down at Norfolk. Dead pharmacist. Let's go," Gibbs barked, bolting out of Vance's office. Tim immediately hauled up his backpack but Tony was slow to move. His reluctance to hurry didn't go unnoticed by Gibbs, who shouted "DiNOZZO! TODAY!" from the elevator. Tony muttered something to himself before getting up, picking up his gear and joining Tim and Gibbs for the elevator ride down to the garage.

At the crime scene, while Gibbs conferred with Ducky regarding the pharmacist's corpse, Tim and Tony combed the pharmacy itself for evidence. Tim studied Tony, who sullenly shot photos of the scene, and waited for an opportunity to try talking to his friend.

"So... Abby and I were thinking we could take the kids and dogs for the weekend if you'd like — give you a little free time, Tony," Tim suggested with a little grin. "She really wants to see that new kids' monster movie 'Boys & Ghouls' and she thinks Sarah and Jack would..."

"Maybe some other time. Thanks," Tony snapped.

"Oh... Well, it was just a thought," Tim said sheepishly. "OK, how about we all go to the movie? Our treat."

"I said no," Tony grumbled.

"Look, Tony, Abby and I are worried about you. And the kids," Tim sighed. "We just want you to know that if you need anything, we're..."

"You're not gonna stop BUGGIN' me, McTLC?" Tony shot back angrily. "Yeah, well, I read ya LOUD 'n' CLEAR! MESSAGE RECEIVED!" With that, he stalked off to snap more pictures far away from Tim.

Gibbs and Ducky studied Tony as he silently skulked about the crime scene.

"Anthony is not himself these days," Ducky said, realizing what an understatement it was.

"Nope," Gibbs agreed, sighing.

"I wonder how Ziva is handling things on her end," Ducky mused.

"Better'n this," Gibbs said.


	170. PS I Love You

Title: P.S. I Love You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Team DiNozzo chats across the miles.

* * *

Once dinner was finished, Tony gathered Sarah, Jack, McFlea and Shep around the family's computer for what had become one of their most cherished experiences each week: the chance to chat live with Ziva from the USS Stingray.

When the screen name NCISzdavid popped up with the message "Hello Tony! Hello Sarah & Jack! Hello McFlea & Shep! Mommy MISSES you! I love you all SO much!," Sarah and Jack screamed with delight. Sarah could read only a few words and Jack recognized his name but they both understood that their mother was writing to them right then as they sat there. Tony had to wipe his eyes as he watched Ziva's words materialize onscreen.

"Hi Sweet Cheeks!" Tony wrote back. "Sarah, Jack, McFlea, Shep and YOURS TRULY all miss you and LOVE YOU too! Sarah says to tell you the house is sad that you aren't here."

"Hi Princess," Ziva wrote to Sarah, who fixed her attention on the letters appearing on the computer screen as her mother typed. "I am sorry the house is sad but I will be home in another two months. Will you help Daddy make the house happy while I am gone?" Tony read Ziva's message to Sarah, who nodded that she would. "Tell Daddy that the house will be happy if it is kept CLEAN." Reading this, Tony stuck his tongue out playfully at Ziva's words.

"Ha ha ha, my seagull," Tony typed. "They issued you a fine sense of humor on the Stingray along with your other onboard essentials. McFlea and Shep just barked that they miss you. Now they ran off to have another snack. They're adjusting OK, I think."

"LOL," Ziva replied. "I miss them, too. Hug them for me."

"I will, after they've had a bath. Jack Jack has news. He had to sit in Time Out at daycare today for kissing Molly Middleton. He was a bad boy. Molly cried," Tony reported.

"Oh no, Jack Jack..." Ziva typed. "Time Out again?"

"Molly cried b/c Jack Jack kissed her and THEN kissed Emma Kincaid. Molly is jealous. Wants Jack for herself. He can't be tied down. He's a DiNozzo Man. Wait, honey - Jack wants to write something in his defense," Tony wrote.

"LOL," Ziva replied. "I am waiting, Jack."

"gocmdeivksltugbncxpejghsalgsf," Jack pounded out, starting first with his tiny fingers before ending with his fists as Tony wrested him away from the keyboard.

"I see," Ziva wrote back. "Well, that is true, Jack. But Mommy wants you to be a good boy. Try to kiss only ONE girl at a time. Mommy loves you!"

Now Sarah wanted to type something, too. So Tony helped her pick the right keys.

"Sarah's typing now," Tony wrote. "She has a message."

"OK, good," Ziva replied.

The words "Hi Mommy" slowly made their way across Ziva's screen on the Stingray. A young sailor chatting with his family back home noticed Ziva hastily brushing back tears from her eyes.

"Hello, angel," Ziva typed. "I love you."

"I lv yu. Jeny graf sy hi."

Ziva couldn't help but chuckle at this. She could tell that Tony must have given up on trying to help Sarah spell "Jenny Giraffe" and just let her type what she thought was right. And it was obviously important for Sarah to let her mommy know Jenny had a message, too. So she replied, "Tell Jenny Giraffe hello from me, Princess. Is she watching out for you and the Zoo?"

"Yes," Sarah typed slowly. "Bye."

"Bye bye!" Ziva replied. She had only a couple of minutes left before she'd have to give up her chat room time to the next person waiting. "Tony? Are you there?"

"Right here," Tony typed. "Missing you like crazy, my ninja. Hey, remember what we talked about before you left? Any news on that?"

Ziva had been expecting this question.

"Yes," she typed, sighing. "We will have to keep trying, my love. I'm sorry."

"Are you sure?" Tony looked sad, staring at Ziva's words before him. Sarah noticed this and sweetly patted his knee.

"I am," Ziva said. "There is no mistaking it. But when I get home, we will try again. I promise!"

"OK. I'll be ready," Tony wrote back, trying to keep the mood light. But he was disappointed and knew that Ziva was, too. They'd both really wanted another baby. Now they'd have to wait. "Ziva, I love you. I miss you so much. Come home soon."

"I will. I miss YOU every day. And I love you, too, Tony," Ziva typed. "I'll email you the time and date when I can chat live again, OK? Kiss Sarah, Jack and the dogs for me. Give NCIS my love. And I'm saving a kiss for you. Good night, my furry mutt."

"Good night, Sweet Cheeks," Tony typed. Then he swallowed hard when he saw the "LIVE CHAT ENDED" message pop up on the screen. Ziva was gone again. At least for another few days. He would get emails from her but they would be few and far between. She had lots of work to do on the Stingray. And he understood, having been Agent Afloat on the USS Seahawk himself.

After he'd put the children to bed and, himself exhausted, flopped down into his easy chair for a moment's peace after his long day, Tony's fears and anxieties got the best of him. While busy, he didn't have time to think of how he'd handle things without Ziva around; he just somehow managed to get things done. But after a few weeks of long workdays and never-ending nighttime chores, he was at wit's end. He needed help. But there was no one to be at the house 24-7 to help with the children or just to take care of the littlest things...

The knock at the front door startled Tony out of his daze. Shaking himself back to life, he trudged to the door to see who could be coming to visit at such a late hour. Opening the door, Tony's eyes went wide with surprise.

"JUNIOR!"

A familiar, slick grin greeted Tony. The older man, dapper in his fine suit, swept into the room as if he already owned it, surveying his surroundings.

"Get my bags, Junior," the man ordered, not unkindly. McFlea, who'd heard the commotion, trotted out into the living room and cocked his head at the stranger. The man casually strode over to Tony's recliner, took a seat, closed his eyes, sighed contentedly and, with a broad smile, patted McFlea's big, black boxy head when he sat beside him. Tony gaped at the scene before him, too stunned to move until the man opened his eyes, nodded towards the door and reiterated, "Junior... my bags."

"Dad?" Tony asked, absolutely confused, as he hustled to haul his father's luggage into the house, closing the door behind him.


	171. Knowing Me, Knowing You

Title: Knowing Me, Knowing You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Senior takes command of Camp DiNozzo.

* * *

One dog barking and slobbering all over his face was enough to rouse Tony out of a deep sleep but two was, Tony felt, overkill.

Nevertheless, this was how he, McFlea and Shep now started their collective days. The dogs, who used to snooze indulgently until long after the rest of the family had risen to start the day, now were up and at 'em as soon as they heard their master's voice each morning. As he made his way into the kitchen to prepare his imported Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, McFlea and Shep raced to his side, salivating at the scent of the fine brew. They were now also addicted to the special treats his friend from New York sent. The woman owned a gourmet pet snacks "boutique," as she termed it, and delicious morsels now arrived at the DiNozzo home daily via special delivery, addressed to "Masters McFlea and Shepard J. DiNozzo, c/o Anthony D. DiNozzo, Sr."

And that was all it had taken, Tony realized, to turn the dogs over to Team Senior. For a few snacks, they now pasted him with their gourmet slobber each morning so that he'd be showered, shaved, combed and dressed for one of Senior's high-end breakfast creations before heading off to work. What would it be this morning?, Tony wondered as he pushed McFlea's huge face away from his own, Eggs Benedict DiNozzo? Belgian Waffles DiNozzo? Prime Rib DiNozzo?

"Out!" Tony snapped as Shep nonchalantly sauntered into the shower, taking a seat. "OUT, damn SHEP!" Growling softly, Shep padded out of the shower. But he lay down by the doorway outside in the hallway, snarling again when Tony slammed the door in his face.

Being rousted by slobber was one thing, but Tony was determined to draw the line at Shep trotting into the shower with him. It had been OK when McFlea was a puppy and Ziva thought it was cute but sending Shep to serve as shower sentinel was just Senior's way of further ensuring that Junior didn't hold up the morning express.

"Ahhhhhh..." Tony groaned, finally getting a few precious minutes to himself in the heat of the shower. Closing his eyes, he counted the weeks since Ziva had left for Agent Afloat duty on the USS Stingray. She was about halfway through her assignment. Tony reminded himself that this was a positive, not a negative. Soon the family would all be back together again. Thinking of Ziva, Tony smiled.

But that smile faded quickly when a little gust of cool air hit Tony's wet skin and he looked down to see Baby Jack sitting on the floor of the shower, his jammies, diaper and all else soaked, giggling up at him. Shep, too, had nosed his way in with his little best friend.

"JACK! NO!" Tony shrieked. "DAMMIT, SHEP!"

Quickly yanking the shower knobs to the "off" position, Tony hauled up Jack, tossing his soaked jammies and diaper aside as he dried his son off while himself shivering in the morning chill. Shep, meanwhile, positioned himself on the other side of the bathroom and lowered his head.

"NO, SHEP, NO! DON'T YOU DARE!" Tony yelled.

With a mighty shake of his now broad shoulders, Shep flung water everywhere, including right onto Tony and Baby Jack. Tony muttered curse words but Jack only squealed with laughter. Once suitably dried off, Shep trotted out of the bathroom towards the warmth of the kitchen, leaving Tony to clean up. Now thoroughly frustrated, Tony growled as he returned his attention to Jack and noted that his boy was staring up at him with a wholly serious look on his tiny face. He squirmed and kicked his strong little legs.

"Oh, no... NO, Jack! Please not NOW!" Tony begged, knowing what was sure to follow.

* * *

"Junior, you're late," Senior said much too casually, not bothering to look up from the newspaper's Business section as he sipped his coffee. "Your veal hash is cold. And..." he added, raising a greyed eyebrow at Tony in warning, "... the kitchen is now closed for the morning."

"And a jolly good morning to you, too, Dad," Tony snapped back, forcing a bitter smile as he plopped Baby Jack into his high chair. As he went to pour himself a cup of coffee, Tony found that there was not even a drop left. Exhaling in anger, he slammed the cabinet doors pointedly while taking out what he needed to brew some more.

"Ah, Junior?" Senior said, laying his folded paper on the table. "Try to make your coffee a little more quietly, hm? All that banging around really disturbs the dogs."

Tony looked down at where McFlea and Shep lay atop Senior's feet, warming them for their new favorite master. Both raised their ears at Tony, growling fussily in reply.

"Traitors," Tony hissed down at the pair.

"And HOW is my BOY today?" Senior asked with a huge grin, tickling Jack's belly. Jack giggled, blushing.

"All wet," Tony replied with a snarl. "Kid's got great aim. Peed on me in places I never thought possible. Had to take a shower to clean off after the shower HE gave me just now. Wouldn't have happened if somebody hadn't given him a bottle late last night. But oh... it DID happen, Dad. It did."

"He was thirsty," Senior protested. "He kept grabbing for my scotch."

"He's a BABY! He GRABS at EVERYTHING!" Tony yelled back.

"JUNIOR!" Senior barked. "Little ears..." He nodded in the direction of the hallway. Sarah stood silently watching her father and grandfather arguing, a sad look on her face. She rubbed at her eyes.

"Well, hey there, Snugglepumpkin," Tony said weakly, trying to find a quick smile. "How'd you sleep, huh?"

"Good morning, Sunshine," Senior added, grinning brilliantly as he opened his arms for Sarah to come to him. "Ready for some breakfast? Papa Tony made veal hash!"

But Sarah just looked from Tony to Tony for a minute before running back down the hallway to the nursery. Both Tonys started after her.

"Junior, let me..." Senior began.

"Dad," Tony interrupted forcefully, "she's MY baby. I got this." Seeing Senior's crestfallen look, Tony quickly added, "Warm up that hash, OK? We'll be back in a couple minutes. I promise."

"Will do," Senior said with a sheepish smile.

* * *

"Snuggles?" Tony called softly, noting the lump under the blankets in Sarah's bed. "Sarah? You here?"

Sarah, though, wasn't ready to talk. The little lump didn't move. It did sigh, however, so Tony figured he should speak with one of its associates.

"Mr. Stripeypants," Tony said, bringing Tony The Tiger up to where the two could chat, "have you seen my little girl? She's three apples high like a Smurf and has curly-girly hair. I think Jenny Giraffe may be with her. She's usually up by now because we have breakfast on Saturdays and watch cartoons and then we get dressed and play at the park. But she was sad this morning. Her daddy misses her."

Jenny Giraffe peeped up from where the lump in the bed sighed again.

"Jenny, have you seen Sarah?" Tony asked sweetly. Just then Sarah's curls popped up into sight. "Well, hello, Cocoabunny," Tony said, stretching out next to Sarah and Jenny. He had Tony The Tiger give Jenny a little smooch. Sarah snuggled up next to Tony, still looking sad.

"Daddy?" Sarah said softly, "You mad?"

"Aw, no," Tony sighed. "I just miss Mommy."

"Me, too," Sarah said. "I miss McFee."

"Me, too," Tony said, looking sad.

"An' Shep," Sarah added.

"Yep," Tony agreed.

"An'... An'... Jack Jack," Sarah said. "They not pway Zoo."

"I know," Tony said. "They like to hear Papa Tony talk all day."

"I wuv Papa Pony," Sarah said.

"I know you do," Tony replied quietly.

"But I wuv you MOST, Daddy," Sarah whispered.

"I know," Tony whispered back. "I love you most, TOO, Snugglepumpkin."

"An' Jack Jack," Sarah said.

"And Jack Jack," Tony agreed.

"An' McFee," Sarah added.

"And McFlea," Tony said.

"An' Shep," Sarah said.

"And Shep," Tony repeated.

"An' Mommy," Sarah noted.

"Of course, Mommy," Tony said firmly, nodding.

"An' Papa Pony," Sarah said.

"Him, too," Tony sighed, rolling his eyes.


	172. Hideaway

Title: Hideaway  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony is reunited with someone special.

* * *

"Mmmm... Zeeee-vah..." Tony murmured, feeling the warm form slide up against his back. Turning over, he smiled, half-asleep, and groaned "Ahhhh baby..." as he pooched out his lips for a big kiss.

Then Tony sat up abruptly, gasping for air and sputtering as McFlea licked his face.

"Aaaaggghhhh! Stop! HEEL! Get OFF me, you slobbering HOUND!" Tony snarled, pushing McFlea away. "OFF the bed! OFF! NOW! There's no room in my bed for McTRAITORS!" Finally, with one mighty heave, Tony shoved McFlea off the bed. Whimpering pitifully, McFlea lowered his head and padded slowly out of the room.

_Damn dog,_ Tony thought, sighing heavily. _Why do I have to LOVE him so much?_

Getting up from his cozy bed, Tony headed into the living room where he found McFlea curled up next to the front door. Little whines came from his throat; he was obviously sad. Kneeling, Tony petted McFlea's big, black, boxy head and spoke tenderly to his oldest "son."

"Alright, Daddy's sorry," Tony said. "C'mon, let's go to bed and talk about it."

McFlea jumped to his feet and bounded into the bedroom, leaping onto the bed, tail wagging as he waited for Tony to get back into bed.

"OK, fellah," Tony said, scratching McFlea in his favorite spot behind the ears as they snuggled on the bed, "What happened, hm? Did Senior cut off your gourmet treat supply? That why you've come crawling back to me?" McFlea yowled miserably, whimpering as he pawed at Tony's leg. "Aw, I'm just kidding, McFlea. I love you." McFlea snuggled closer to Tony, snorting sadly. "C'mon, boy, what's the matter? How come you're in here and not in your bed with Shep?"

At the mention of Shep's name, McFlea shivered and whimpered. Tony raised an eyebrow. This was something new.

"Did Shep kick you outta the bed?" Tony asked. McFlea snorted, sighing as only a dog can. Tony patted McFlea's head and assured him that he'd be right back. Then he headed straight for the nursery.

From where he stood in the doorway, Tony could clearly see Shep stretched out, luxuriating in having the dogbed all to himself for once. Now nearly as big as his father, Shep was long past the days when he loved snuggling with McFlea. Apparently, he felt the bed should be his now.

"We'll see about THAT," Tony hissed, feeling sorry for McFlea. His hulking son had bullied him out of his own bed - and after all the nights McFlea had tenderly kept him warm as a puppy. Tony was angry with himself, too, because he sensed that this wouldn't have happened if Ziva were home. But it was okay; there was someone else who would handle Shep's newfound bad attitude.

Striding down the hallway with a knowing grin, Tony headed for the front door and softly called to his secret weapon. He wasn't sure how she always knew just when she was needed at Camp DiNozzo but somehow she always managed to slip into the house, whether invited or not, so Tony reckoned he might as well show her in this night. Why not be a gentleman? She gave him a suspicious look as she always did but then passed right by him on her way to her usual spot. Tony knew she wouldn't be happy with what she found — or didn't find — there and a certain Shepard J. DiNozzo would hear about it.

And he was right.

It took only a minute or so before a whimpering Shep hastily trotted out of the nursery, a hissing Kitty Kate hot on his heels. He hurried into the guest room, where Senior slept.

"Your son's been a bad boy," Tony said to Kitty Kate, who flicked her tail in response. "His poor, poor father... So sad... So lonely... So..."

Peeping in at McFlea, Tony saw that his dog was sound asleep, stretched across HIS bed.

"... so SNEAKY," Tony snarled.

Later, as Tony curled up, shivering while trying to find a comfortable position in the nursery dogbed, he scowled at Kitty Kate, who had found her own cozy spot in the bed.

"Ziva NEVER hears about this, you got that?" Tony hissed in a whisper. "And stop KICKING me!"

As Tony tossed and turned, Kitty Kate became irritated, hissing at him and brandishing her claws.

"You don't scare me," Tony hissed back. "I share my bed with a NINJA every night. Or did." He sighed, suddenly missing Ziva again.

With a tender purr, Kitty Kate drew in her claws and snuggled against a surprised Tony. Now he felt warm and comfortable. He still missed Ziva but felt as if she weren't half a world away. Tony also felt as if everything would be OK in his house. Kitty Kate patted softly at his chest.

"That boyfriend of yours, McFlea? Lucky dog..." Tony murmured drowsily to the little black cat, stroking her fur just before he drifted off into a deep, satisfying sleep.


	173. All That I Want

Title: All That I Want  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony Claus is faced with a difficult request.

* * *

"Yeah," Tony said, pulling off his white Santa beard, "that was all they both wanted."

Senior, Gibbs and Gibbs' father listened intently, nodding. Gibbs poured Tony a quarter of a tumbler of whiskey; Tony took a drink, sighed and stared solemnly into the distance.

"They'll get their wish, son," Senior said as brightly as he could. "It may come after Christmas but Santa always delivers. And you make a fine stand-in for the Big Guy, Junior."

"But they think Santa can give them what they want ON Christmas morning," Tony said miserably. "And he can't. Not this year."

"Never count Santa Claus OUT!" Jackson Gibbs admonished with a chuckle, winking at Tony. "He's ALWAYS come through for the Gibbs family. Isn't that right, Jethro?"

"Yup," Gibbs said, sipping his own whiskey.

"But I'm not Santa," Tony sighed. "And Sarah wasn't real impressed with Tony Claus LAST Christmas, either."

* * *

When Tony woke up, Christmas Morning had officially started in the DiNozzo house. Yawning mightily as he padded down the hallway to the living room in his robe and slippers, Tony drowsily found Senior presiding over Sarah and Baby Jack ripping into their smaller presents while McFlea and Shep rolled around giddily in the discarded wrapping paper.

"Merry CHRISTMAS, Junior!" Senior boomed, smiling brightly. "Looks like the Man With The Bag made quite a stop at Casa DiNozzo last night, eh, son?"

"Sure, Dad," Tony said tiredly, trying to find a smile.

"DADDY! DADDY! DADDY!" Sarah squealed, seeing Tony. "SANTA! HE... HE... BWING TOYS!" Getting up from where she sat in a pile of papers, Sarah ran to show Tony her new little Zoo acquisition - a stuffed penguin wearing a natty bowtie.

"Santa never misses our house, does he?" Tony answered, hugging his little girl. Taking her hand, he let her lead him over to sit on the floor by the Christmas tree. Next, Sarah fetched her grandfather in the same manner. Senior plopped her in his lap and opened one of his presents from Sarah. Baby Jack, wearing his new toddler-size Ohio State football helmet, crawled over to Tony and yelled "BUTT-ICE!" Senior laughed out loud. Tony smiled but it was evident that he wasn't really in the holiday spirit. Still, he hauled Jack up into his arms and, after helping the littlest Buckeye adjust his helmet, gave his son a hand with opening another little present.

"Ah, Junior?" Senior said, as if just remembering something important, "I believe Mr. Claus left your present in the kitchen. I, eh, saw it in there this morning when I made The Big Guy a cup of my special Holiday Hazelnut brew." Winking, Senior nodded towards the kitchen door, indicating that Tony should go check out what had been left for him.

"Okay," Tony sighed, not really caring about any gifts Santa or anyone else had left for him. His only Christmas wish had been that Ziva could come home and that hadn't happened. The family hadn't been able to enjoy Hanukkah without her around, either. Or Thanksgiving. Tony was just ready for the holidays to end. And what had he been thinking, playing Tony Claus - "Santa's VERY Special Secret Agent" - yesterday? Sarah and Jack had both asked Tony Claus for just one thing: "Mommy come home." It broke Tony's heart. He knew he couldn't deliver that on Christmas. Neither could Santa.

But now Tony put Jack down next to Sarah and they played with Jack's new baby-size foam Ohio State football while Senior tried on the new tie Sarah had picked out for him.

"Yes, I adore the little horses on the tie, Sarah Darling," Tony heard Senior saying as he made his way into the kitchen. "Oh, PONIES! For Papa Pony... Ahhh... NOW I see!" Then he heard Sarah clapping with joy.

And then Tony found his present.

Standing at the kitchen counter, she had just finished brewing a fresh pot of coffee.

So that was where his Tony Claus hat had snuck off to...

It had always looked better on her than it did on him. Always.

She smiled, a little uncertainly, when she turned to see him staring at her.

"Ziva..." Tony finally managed to croak out, barely able to find his voice.

"Merry Christmas, Tony," Ziva said softly, just before running across the kitchen to give her husband a long, warm hug which he returned with every ounce of strength he could muster as his hands trembled.

* * *

Later that night, when Senior had retired to the Nursery to play Santa Zoo with the children and dogs, Tony and Ziva at last enjoyed some long-awaited alone time.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?" Tony asked. "Even SENIOR was in on it. And the kids, too. How'd you get THEM to keep a secret?"

"Our children are good at keeping secrets. There are many things about them you do not know," Ziva teased.

"Like what?" Tony wanted to know.

"I have been sworn to secrecy," Ziva replied. "My zips are sealed."

"Not for long, my sugarplum," Tony said with a smile, pulling Ziva into a little kiss. "You're the best Christmas present ever. I'm so glad you're home. I missed you so much, Ziva."

"I missed you, too, Tony," Ziva said.

"Don't go anywhere again. Ever," Tony scolded playfully.

"Well, alright," Ziva agreed, "but that means you will have to go to the supermarket and do all the shopping - for everything that I need."

"Everything?" Tony said, looking suddenly terrified.

"Everything," Ziva replied, "and perhaps some... extras."

"OK, don't go anywhere again that I can't go, too," Tony said.

"You are saying I must stop going to the ladies' room?" Ziva asked. Shrugging, she continued, "I can live with that."

"What I mean is, don't go anywhere again that's on a ship. With you as Agent Afloat. And me as... Agent At Home," Tony said. Then, eyeing Ziva suspiciously, he added, "Y'know, you still haven't told me how you got home so fast. Did McGeek fix you up with that jetpack he's been working on out in his garage?"

Ziva chuckled.

"No, I caught a ride with... an old friend," Ziva answered.

"Oh, really? What kind of 'old friend'?" Tony asked. "Should I be jealous?"

"Of course... NOT," Ziva teased. "He is married and has been for years. Besides, he is in the transport business. An NCIS contact put me in touch with him and he arranged for my travel home. It is that simple."

"Whatever you say, baby," Tony whispered as he pulled Ziva into a sweet kiss beneath the lights of the family's Christmas tree. "Welcome home."

* * *

"Thanks again for the favor," Gibbs said to the older man. "Don't know how I can ever repay ya."

"Those wooden toys you make for me every Christmas bring a lot of smiles to some little faces, Jethro," the man replied, tugging thoughtfully at his beard. "You keep turning them out and we'll call it even. Sound like a deal?"

"Yes, sir," Gibbs said. He shook hands with the hefty fellow and smiled, his blue eyes shining brightly.

"And before I forget," the man said, reaching back into a large red bag, "YOU were good all year long. So here, Jethro, is your present. Merry Christmas."

"Thanks," Gibbs said softly, taking the little wrapped square from his friend. "Have a safe trip home. Give your wife my best."

"Will do," the man replied. "And you tell your father that the Mrs. says his fudge is so good I'm now limited to two pieces a day during my busy season. Can't let myself get TOO, uh, 'jolly,' you see..."

Gibbs grinned, waving goodbye as his friend drove out of sight.

As a few flakes of snow fell from the night sky, he carefully unwrapped his present.

Shannon and Kelly, both wearing Santa hats and red Rudolph noses, smiled back at him from inside the photo frame. He'd lost the picture, which the girls had taken just for him one Christmas when they'd gone shopping, as he was packing up everything after the funeral. For years he'd searched for the picture but it was gone. And now it was home.

"Merry Christmas," Gibbs said to his girls as he headed back into the quiet of the house.


	174. Sleep On

Title: Sleep On  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Sleep now, pay later.

* * *

"... and Daddy? Daddy?" Sarah was saying, quite seriously, to Tony as she snuggled against his chest while they watched the Ohio State bowl game.

"Yes, Sugarplumpkin?" Tony said absentmindedly, completely engrossed in what was happening on the TV.

"Shep bawk a WOT!" Sarah finished, sighing.

"Yeah," Tony sighed in reply. "Dogs do that. That's how they talk."

"Daddy? Daddy? Jack Jack... he... he WOAR wike... wike a WION," Sarah sighed. "An' McFee... say WOOO WOOO WOOO! It waked me up wast night."

"I know. Those yapping hounds kept me up all night, too. I'm sorry, Muffinbubbles," Tony murmured as Ohio State scored another touchdown. "You sleepy?"

"No," Sarah said, yawning mightily.

"Yeah, me neither," Tony agreed, unable to stifle a huge yawn of his own.

Closing her eyes, Sarah pulled Tony The Tiger and Jenny Giraffe nearer to her chest. Tony tucked the Buckeyes blanket he and Sarah were snuggled under tighter around his baby girl.

A few minutes later, as Sarah quietly snoozed on Tony's chest, McFlea and Shep trotted into the living room. Both carefully made their way onto the couch, finding comfortable positions, yawned in unison, and were soon themselves dozing. Baby Jack, who never liked playing alone, soon half-crawled/toddled from the nursery into the living room after the dogs. Seeing everyone on the couch, he clambered up onto his daddy's chest next to his sister and quickly dropped off to sleep, drooling onto Tony's sweatshirt. Tony sighed, finding himself buried under babies, dogs and toys.

By the time Ziva and Senior returned home from their trip to the grocery store, Tony was also sound asleep.

"Would you look at that?," Senior whispered to Ziva, "Junior and the babies are napping... It IS somewhat charming, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes," Ziva replied, unsmiling. "He had promised to clean the house."

"Well," Senior said with a grin, "I can understand, Ziva. We DiNozzo Men _do_ need our beauty sleep."

"Tony certainly will," Ziva answered, smiling wryly, "because when he wakes, it will get pretty in here."

"Pretty?" Senior asked, confused.

"Yes," Ziva explained. "Pretty ugly."


	175. What A Great Pair We'll Be

Title: What A Great Pair We'll Be  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Senior may have overstayed his welcome at Camp DiNozzo.

* * *

"Anybody home?"

Tony's voice echoed back to him through a strangely quiet house. Life in the little castle of which he was king had been going at its usual noisy, full-on speed when he'd retreated to the bedroom for a few minutes' shut-eye. But now, two hours later, all was still and silent.

Sighing, Tony searched the refrigerator for milk and snacks. They, too, were absent. The only edible item that remained were some carrot sticks. Tony made a "yuck" face, closing the door.

"Carrot sticks," he muttered bitterly, poking out his bottom lip. Yawning, he shuffled out through the living room and made his way to the front porch, taking a seat on the swing. He was still drowsy, even after his long nap, and feeling cranky. Ziva said, when he was like this, that she could see why Baby Jack was always in a foul mood after his naps; obviously, this sort of thing ran with the family.

Wherever his family was, Tony thought, they hadn't bothered to wake him to go along. And it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The sun was shining. The breeze was blowing. The birds chirped. The squirrels - McFlea's squirrels - chattered happily. The promise of spring was in the air.

But Tony had been left home alone.

* * *

About an hour later, Tony watched as his family returned home.

In HIS Mustang.

He and Ziva had an understanding. Only in a dire emergency was she ever to take the wheel of the 'Stang. She agreed to this only because, as Tony had gently explained, the obvious combination of ninja and Mustang was a threat to the innocent drivers out there on the streets. They were defenseless against such a dynamic duo in their sedans and soccer mom minivans. Ziva assented after initial resistance, a resistance that was finally broken when Tony took the red Mini to a friend who "knew engines" and had it radically souped-up. Now Ziva bragged about her horses, the kind that raced only to work, daycare and around the suburbs on shopping errands.

Only, Ziva wasn't at the wheel of Tony's prized Mustang.

Senior was.

* * *

Jaw set, heart pounding as he started down the hallway toward Senior's room, Tony silently rehearsed his speech.

_"Dad, it's just not working out..."_

_"Look, Dad... Ziva and I love having you here but things are getting a bit crowded and..."_

_"See, Dad? The thing is, we like you being here but..."_

Tony's stomach ached now as he stood outside Senior's door. He found it hard to breathe. Balling his fist, he took a last, deep breath before raising his hand to knock.

"DADDY! DADDY! DADDY! DADDY!" Sarah squeaked joyfully from behind Tony, hugging his legs tightly. "Come see! Come SEE!"

Grateful for the temporary reprieve from speaking with Senior, Tony took Sarah's hand and she led him into the nursery.

Baby Jack and Shep were jungle cats today, hiding under Jack's crib as they lay in wait to attack anything that came through the door. When Tony and Sarah appeared, the pair made little growling sounds.

"Wook out, Daddy. Wions. Dey hungwy," Sarah whispered to Tony as they passed Jack and Shep.

"Well, I think we're safe," Tony whispered back. "I taste like peas and you taste like carrots. And the little blond lion hates peas and carrots. The big black lion only likes Puppy Chow and neither of us taste like that."

The hungry blond lion under the crib giggled; the black lion whimpered. Their meal would have to wait.

"Daddy? Daddy?" Sarah said, settling down on the bed beside the Zoo. "Wook."

She handed Tony a little stuffed toy, obviously new, and beamed with pride.

"It's a pony," Tony said, and smiled back. "Did Mommy buy it for you?"

"No, Papa PONY - he... he buyed it," Sarah said, clapping her hands giddily. "He buyed Jack Jack a... a... a DWUM!"

Tony's eyes went wide with horror. He scanned the room and saw a huge jungle drum in one corner of the nursery. Groaning, he muttered, "Yeah, I see that."

"He da daddy," Sarah explained, taking her pony from her father and placing him right next to Tony The Tiger. She made sure they were snuggled close together.

"The daddy?" Tony asked, confused. "Whose daddy, Snugglepumpkin?"

"HIS daddy," Sarah said, patting Tony The Tiger on the head. "He... got da... da same name."

"Tony? Tony The Pony?" Now Tony was really confused. "Tony The Pony is Tony The Tiger's daddy? But, sweetie, he's a PONY and Tony is a TIGER. How can a pony be a tiger's daddy?"

"Because he PAPA Pony," Sarah said matter-of-factly.

* * *

"Dad?" Tony called, having rapped on his father's bedroom door a few times with no answer. Now he opened the door and found Senior quietly packing his suitcases. "Dad... What are you doing? What's with the suitcases?"

Senior turned to look at Tony. His eyes, usually twinkling with mischief, now looked tired and sad.

"Well, Junior, I ... I figured it was probably time for me to... thank you for your outstanding hospitality and... move on," Senior said, forcing a smile.

"Outstanding hospitality?" Tony repeated. "Dad, c'mon. This isn't a hotel. We're family."

"Ah, yes... yes," Senior said. "I suppose I'm so used to living IN hotels that I've learned to talk the talk."

"How about you get UN-used to that? Huh?" Tony asked, grinning. "Y'know, I could use some help keeping the Mustang running smooth."

"Son, I don't know a thing about cars," Senior replied, frowning. "Except how to drive them - fast."

"You could learn," Tony said. "Be good to get a little grease under your nails."

"My manicurist might feel differently about that," Senior said, admiring his fingernails, which he'd just had taken care of at the mall.

"Then you can watch me work on the car," Tony countered. "Think you can hand me cold beers and keep your cuticles looking good?"

"Sounds like we've got ourselves a deal," Senior said.

* * *

"He is staying?" Ziva asked, leafing through her latest copy of Glock of the Month magazine. "Good. I can use the help in the kitchen."

"Hey," Tony shot back, "I help you in the kitchen. I'm a great cook. Nobody makes better pancakes than I do."

"Except your father," Ziva said, smiling wryly.

"He's great with the kids," Tony said. "And the dogs."

"And he drives your car magnificently," Ziva teased.

"Yeah... About that..." Tony began, "... and this new drum of Jack's..."


	176. When You've Got What It Takes

Title: When You've Got What It Takes  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: There's Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Then there's TIVA.

* * *

"It was nice of your father to sit on the babies tonight," Ziva told Tony as they strolled, arm in arm, through the streets of downtown Washington D.C.

"Babysit, my goose," Tony tenderly corrected. The evening had been magnificent; Tony planned to keep the magic going once he got Ziva home and into bed.

"You do not have a goose, Tony," Ziva replied, giving her husband a quizzical look. Then, staring at Tony suspiciously, she added, "DO you?"

"No," Tony said, working hard to keep from smiling, "but YOU do!"

With that, he goosed Ziva firmly and quickly on her rear end. And then, sticking out his tongue at her, he skipped merrily away - far enough to be out of arm's (or, since this was Ziva, harm's) reach. Ziva shot him a glare but couldn't keep a wry grin from playing at the corners of her mouth. She snickered audibly, smirking playfully at Tony.

"What goes around comes to those who wait," she said, raising an eyebrow at Tony. "You will be sorry, my little furry mutt."

"I certainly hope so," Tony replied, winking.

* * *

"That a Glock in your pocket or you just happy to see me?" Tony panted as Ziva hastily unbuttoned his shirt.

Looking down, Ziva took stock of her personal munitions.

"I am not the one with... a loaded weapon, Tony," Ziva replied breathlessly into Tony's ear.

"Oh yeah," Tony gasped, "I'M packin' the heater."

"Then let us test its firepower," Ziva said, pushing Tony down onto their bed.

* * *

"Let's drink a toast... to us," Tony suggested. He lay flat on his back, naked and groggy after a night of making love with Ziva. It was now edging towards dawn.

Ziva popped her head out from under the covers, pushing her long, black hair back to stare at Tony.

"We have no champagne. Or glasses to toast with," she reminded Tony. "Unless you are going to the kitchen to get some milk and the children's slippy cups."

Tony considered this for a minute or so, pursing his lips in deep thought. His eyes remained closed and he furrowed his brow, really mulling it over.

"Let's not drink a toast to us," he finally muttered. "Let's instead drink deeply from each others' love again, my ninja. Hm?" A little devious grin crossed his face.

"Chocolate milk or regular?" Ziva asked, getting up.

* * *

"Ahhhh... You smell that, my lamb?" Tony asked Ziva as they stepped into the coffee shop on their way to NCIS headquarters.

"Yes. It is coffee, Tony." Ziva wasn't sure where this conversation was going just yet.

"Not just coffee, love of my life, but hot chocolate chip scones, too!" Tony chirped, closing his eyes as he sniffed the air. "Chocolate chip scones," he said dreamily. "If sex were a breakfast pastry it would be a hot chocolate chip scone."

Ziva looked at Tony as if he were crazy.

"And what would coffee be?" Ziva asked. Oddly enough, she wanted to know what Tony would say.

"The afterglow," Tony said, giving Ziva the same "Are you nuts?" look she'd just shot his way.

The clerk at the counter smiled brightly at the two of them and politely asked what they'd like for breakfast. Tony and Ziva gave each other sultry looks before Tony adjusted his tie and answered.

"Two afterglows and one hot sex on a plate," he told the clerk, winking at Ziva. "We'd each get our own hot sex but since we got married, we really prefer to share it."


	177. I Was Made For Sunny Days

Title: I Was Made For Sunny Days  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva and Baby Jack run errands, thus threatening national security.

* * *

From his basket seat in the shopping cart, Baby Jack could see all the yummy things he wanted to eat whenever he and his mommy went to the grocery store. Now his mischievous green eyes fixed on a plastic container of brownies. Carefully settling his Moo beside him, Jack reached out for the little box, which was on a stand near where Ziva stood checking her grocery list. But the brownies were just out of his tiny grasp. So Jack, frustrated, resorted to his usual Plan B.

He let out an ear-piercing holler.

As the rest of the shoppers around her cringed, some covering their ears as they attempted to recover from the sudden shock of sound, Ziva only continued focusing on her list.

"Now that you have expressed your displeasure with the lack of availability of the store's baked goods," she said all-too calmly, still not looking up from the list, "I will consider this little matter over and under with."

Baby Jack fussily yanked up his Moo, sticking out his lower lip in a huge pout. If Daddy were here, they'd be eating brownies right now but when Mommy said no, she meant no. And all the hollering in the world never changed that. So Jack let out a heavy sigh and forlornly studied the brownies as they faded from sight while Ziva pushed the cart towards the dairy section.

Once among the milk jugs, Jack found himself in a happier mood. He pointed to the different labels and hugged his favorite toy, saying "Moo" whenever he saw an image of a cow that looked like his own Moo. Ziva smiled, patting Jack on the head; her boy was a little handful at times but mostly he was a sweet baby.

"Moo! Moo! Moo!" Jack exclaimed, thrusting a stubby little finger at cartoon cows grinning back at him from all kinds of milk jugs, milk cartons, blocks of butter and tubs of margarine. He kicked his feet with joy.

"Cha... Cha... CHAWKA-MOO!" Jack shrieked, giggling, as Ziva placed a little bottle of chocolate milk in the shopping basket. No gallon of milk was safe in the DiNozzo household and the family went through at least three a week. But chocolate milk was Baby Jack's special treat; he was the only one in the family who liked it and he didn't get it that often. Since there would be no brownies, this, Ziva figured, was a somewhat healthier compromise.

"You will be my good boy the rest of the day," Ziva said, not really asking. Baby Jack, still hugging his Moo, nodded, his eyes wide as he smiled up at his mommy. Satisfied at this, Ziva tousled Jack's hair, again studied her list and they headed for the cheeses.

A graying, olive-skinned older man standing near Ziva frowned with contempt as he noted the price of hazelnut coffee creamer. Again, it had gone up. Silently cursing his luck — and his love of this particular brand of creamer — he muttered something foul in a distant-sounding tongue before tossing the plastic bottle into his shopping cart with a dismissive little flick of his wrist. Then he pushed his cart on towards the seafood counter to price the day's fresh fish.

_Where were the sales that had been advertised?_ he wondered, vowing to speak to the store manager about the lack of savings.

* * *

Driving home from the store, Ziva and Baby Jack indulged in a secret guilty pleasure.

Beyonce belted out the lyrics to "All The Single Ladies" from the Mini's sleek audio speakers — and Ziva and Jack Jack followed suit.

Neither could sing quite up to Beyonce's standards, but both bobbed their heads in time with the beat. Baby Jack danced, as best he could, in his car seat, putting his hands up on Beyonce's musical command. His Moo, not as inclined to dance, nestled next to him in the car seat, studying her little friend bemusedly.

"Up... Up... Up... Da... CUB!" Jack sang out from the back seat, eliciting a bright smile from Ziva. Her son was already a terrible singer, she had to admit, but like her he just enjoyed being able to lose himself in the sheer joy of having the freedom to sing out at will. Ziva chuckled, thinking that if Sarah was with them right now, she'd clap her hands over her little ears and make one of Tony's patented "yuck" faces at the sound of what her husband called Ziva and Jack's "assault with intent to kill rock and roll as we know it." Tony teased Ziva about her being an awful singer because she did, in fact, have a magnificent voice.

They sat at a stop light now and Ziva glanced over at the shiny Mercedes idling beside her.

_Tony would appreciate that car,_ she thought. _As would Anthony Senior._

Her brown eyes now fixed on the Mercedes' driver, a swarthy older man who stared intently at the traffic light as if he could personally will it to change from red to green.

This man she knew from her Mossad days.

This man funneled money to the terrorist organizations her father had been fighting for decades.

This man was responsible for the 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing in Beirut that had killed civilians and Marines and this man was someone Gibbs intended to bring to justice.

But now, at this stop light on this day, Ziva recognized this man. And when he zoomed away as the light hit green, Ziva considered her options but only for a moment.

Baby Jack now sang softly along with a John Mayer tune on the radio. Soon it would be time for his afternoon nap.

"Hold loose, Jack," Ziva said, winking at her son in the rearview mirror as she hit the accelerator, "Mommy is taking a little detour."

* * *

Ziva whipped the Mini into the driveway, hoisted a sleeping Baby Jack and his Moo from the car seat and briskly made her way into the house. Sarah, who'd been coloring in her zoo animals book on the living room floor, jumped up and greeted her mother warmly with a hug and kiss. Tony hustled in from the kitchen, McFlea and Shep on his heels, hearing Ziva come in.

"Where you been, Sweet Cheeks?" Tony asked. "Thought you were just gonna get a few things at the store and then head right back. Couldn't start the lasagna without the ree-coh-ta." Then he paused a beat, narrowed his eyes teasingly at Ziva and said, "You've been singing again. I can hear it in your voice. Or what's left of your voice. Was it Beyonce this time? Or have you finally caught Bieber Fever, my ninja?"

"I am sorry, Tony," Ziva said, making her way to the nursery to put Jack down for a proper nap.

"I'm sorry, too," Tony chirped, following along, "for your ears. There wasn't any collateral damage, was there? Nobody else who accidentally came within hearing range?" He grinned wickedly.

"I'm sorry that I am late getting home," Ziva said, choosing to ignore Tony's comments about her singing. This time. "I came down with something and had to take care of it."

"You sick?" Tony asked, squinting at Ziva as he walked beside her down the hallway. Now he was sorry he'd teased her. "Did you go to the doctor?"

"No," Ziva replied, giving Tony a quizzical look. "I came down with something and I ... pursued it. That is all."

"Yeah, you came down with something... So you're sick," Tony said, giving Ziva her own confused look back. She lay Baby Jack in his crib. He yawned, kicked once and then was again completely dead to the world.

"What is this talk about me being sick, Tony? I feel fine. Something came down and an investigation was warranted. What do you not understand about that?" Ziva asked. She wasn't upset with Tony, just unsure of why he wasn't apparently hearing what she was saying.

"Something came down? Investigation?" Tony said, scratching his head. "Huh?"

"I saw Ahmed Alcazar today, driving here in town," Ziva tried to explain as she headed back down the hallway and through the living room. Tony followed. They headed outside to the Mini to retrieve the groceries.

"Alcazar? He's A-Number One on Gibbs' 'get' list," Tony mused, picking up the heaviest grocery bags as he and Ziva headed back into the house.

"Yes," Ziva said, opening the front door for Tony, "so when I recognized him, I followed him. Discreetly."

"Discreetly. With our son in the babyseat," Tony said, trying not to sound upset. He wasn't; he knew Ziva wouldn't put Jack in danger. But Alcazar was an international terrorist who would do anything to avoid prosecution for his crimes. "I didn't mean it like that," Tony sighed. "I know you can handle everything. I was just worried about you, y'know?"

"I know," Ziva said.

"So anything happen?" Tony asked, hoping the answer would be "no" but understanding that with Ziva, a wild card was always in play.

"I called Gibbs with Alcazar's location once he stopped," Ziva replied, taking items from a grocery bag. "Alcazar is living in a townhouse near the university. Gibbs met me there and took watch from that point on. He said to tell you that he wants to take Sarah and Jack to the zoo next weekend since he told them that he would. I said okay but wanted to ask you."

"Oh, yeah, that zoo thing..." Tony said absentmindedly. His thoughts were on Ziva tracking down a noted global terrorist. "Sure. No problem... Hey, how do you know Alcazar is living in that place you saw him head into? I mean, he could've just been meeting someone there. It may not be his base of operations."

"He is living there," Ziva said confidently. "I am certain of it."

"And you know this because...?"

"He was carrying in groceries from Federal Foods," Ziva answered nonchalantly, handing Tony the ricotta cheese for his lasagna. "Apparently he is also a fan of their Super Saver Saturdays."


	178. School Is In

Title: School Is In  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony presents the idea of preschool to Sarah.

* * *

"You know what school is, right?" Tony asked Sarah, who fumbled to re-open the thick book her daddy had just shut after a third reading. She never wanted to say goodbye to Richard Scarry and the little squirrels and bears who drove cars and lived in houses that looked as cozy as her own. Also, Daddy had rushed through Sarah's favorite story, "Couscous The Algerian Detective," and Sarah demanded a re-read. If she could find the page.

"Yes," Sarah said absentmindedly. Her thoughts were on Couscous.

"Marcus goes to school now," Tony said cheerfully. "His mommy told us he just started. And he really likes it."

"Mawcus tol... tol... me his name Shaw-kus now," Sarah told Tony nonchalantly. She figured he should've already known this.

"Shawkus?"

Tony frowned. Marcus was always coming up with crazy names for himself and his baby brother Malcolm. Marcus loved going to the aquarium as much as Sarah loved going to the zoo. He was a weird kid, Tony thought, but he was always doing something cool. So Tony enjoyed Marcus's company whenever he visited. Marcus loved football, which meant backyard games were always on the agenda. And since Marcus was the only person unafraid to block Ziva, Tony had to respect him.

Sarah sighed. Daddy never understood anything she said anymore. She didn't know why.

"SHAW-kus!" Sarah said, trying to explain. Finally she just made a little fin on her head and bared her teeth, making a scary face at Tony. "DAH-duh..." she sang. "DAH-duh... DAH-duh-DAH-duh... DAH-duh..."

"OHHHHH! SHARKus!" Tony exclaimed, grinning. He had to laugh. "Heh... Marcus... Sharkus... Crazy kid..."

"He a shawk now," Sarah said with a little sigh. "He take sw... swim wessons."

"Would you like to take swim lessons, too?" Tony asked.

"No," Sarah replied, frowning. Where was Couscous?

"They're fun. You could swim with Marcus... I mean, Sharkus," Tony prodded.

"Daddy, where Coo-Coo?" Sarah handed Tony the book. He began flipping its pages.

"There are a lot of kids at swim lessons," Tony explained, "just like at school. More kids means more fun. You could teach them how to play Zoo. I bet they know fun games to teach you, too."

Sarah sighed. Marcus told her about school when he called on the phone. He had to get up early in the morning for school and he didn't get to play with Malcolm until he got home. Marcus said there were girls at school and he didn't like girls. Sarah said she was a girl and Marcus said he liked her because she wasn't a REAL girl — she was Sarah. Sarah said OK because she didn't like boys and Marcus wasn't a REAL boy. Marcus said no, he wasn't a REAL boy. He was a shark.

"So whaddaya think?" Tony asked hopefully. "About giving school a try? You could be in Marcus's class. They have nap time. And you get to play on a playground. And they have snacks. You love naps. And playing at the playground. And snacks."

"No. I don't wike skoo," Sarah said, replying as if Tony had asked her to try English peas, which she also disliked. "So I not go. Daddy, wook — it Coo-Coo. Wead Coo-Coo? Pwease?"

Now Tony sighed heavily. Sarah was almost three and she was much too smart to stay home. Ziva had decided that it was time Sarah started preschool and Tony agreed, although he privately felt saddened at the thought of his baby girl being big enough to go to school — even the kind of school that was mostly centered around learn/play activities, recess, snacks and napping. Next Jack would be big enough for school. Then both the kids would have to start kindergarten and then elementary school and then junior high and THEN high school and THEN COLLEGE... It was too much for Tony to think about. Sarah was still a tiny little girl to him but her future already seemed to loom far too large.

"Daddy?"

Tony snapped back from his momentary reverie. He looked down at Sarah, who sat in his lap holding the big book. She gazed up at him, her blue eyes bright and wide.

"Yes, Snugglepumpkin?"

"You wead Coo-Coo?"

"OK. I'll read Couscous."

"May... Maybe I go skoo if Mawcus go."

"You mean Sharkus."

Sarah giggled.

"Daddy. He not a WEAL shawk."


	179. Between The Lines

Title: Between The Lines  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: A Senior and Tony moment.

* * *

Senior and Tony basked in the sunlight on their park bench, watching McFlea and Shep wrestle and chase one another in the big grassy field.

Shep was now as big as his father and just as strong but he never tried to be the alpha dog. He seemed to understand that his father was still his father and his role, as the son, was to respect that. Also, both McFlea and Shep knew that the real alpha dog among them was Kitty Kate. Neither wanted to tangle with the tiny black cat who feared nothing and could cower her "husband" McFlea and "son" Shep with the slightest flick of her tail. So father and son romped happily around the park, wrestling and growling and barking playfully until, after expending all their energy, both collapsed panting and exhausted next to Senior and Tony.

When the dogs finished what remained in their water bowls, Tony refilled them at the fountain nearby. Senior, ever ready with something special for "the boys" as he called them, placed two bowls of gourmet energy snacks where McFlea and Shep lay. The pair gobbled them down.

"Easy, boys, _easy_," Senior gently cautioned. "It's undignified for a man to disgrace himself after intense physical activity, you know."

"Yeah," Tony agreed, setting down the dogs' water bowls. "Don't puke in the park."

"Eh, Junior?" Senior began, frowning, "Language?"

"Just breaking it down for 'em, Dad," Tony replied, giving McFlea a good scratch behind the ears. Shep, clearly ready for a nap, rested his head on Senior's feet. He fought a losing battle to keep his brown eyes open.

"They're really beautiful boys, son," Senior told Tony, admiring Shep and McFlea. The pair, nearly identical with their big boxy heads and shiny black coats, now lay dozing in the sun. "You and Ziva are good with dogs."

"Better than we are with people," Tony sighed. It was, sadly, true. He and Ziva never had to pull guns on their dogs (although Ziva nearly went for her Glock when Shep dug up the flower bed she'd just finished planting). They never had to chase them down and fight with them (although when McFlea was a puppy, his fear of cats not named Kitty Kate sent him running full-tilt through the neighborhood, forcing Tony and Ziva to use their best NCIS moves to corner him and bring him home). And they never had to harshly interrogate them (although Tony had spent part of his morning, hands on hips, demanding to know exactly WHO had used his giant snoot to pry open the fridge and scarf down Sarah's brownie — and he'd gotten nothing, NOTHING, out of McFlea or Shep).

"You're excellent with them, too," Senior said. "Sarah and Jack are a delight. And I'm not just saying that because they're MY grandchildren, although they DO favor the DiNozzo side of the family, wouldn't you say, Junior?" The silver-haired man, dapper in his "weekending" khakis, polo shirt and sweater vest, gave his son a knowing wink.

Tony grinned back at his father.

"Oh, I'd say, Dad," he agreed, letting a wry grin spread across his face. "Sarah's a lot like Ziva but she's got every boy in the preschool at her beck and call already. Been there one week. Marcus calls her every day to make sure she's still HIS best friend girl — his words, not mine. He's four. What can you say? But Sarah... Yeah... Definitely DiNozzo. Now Jack wants to go to school. Saw a pretty teacher there. Charmed her instantly. He'll be a fine student for sure."

"I'm proud of you, Tony. You're a wonderful father." Senior looked down now, solemnly, at his feet. Shep growled, stretched, and repositioned himself before opening one brown eye and then falling back into a sun-drenched sleep. "Much better than your old man ever was, eh?"

"You did your best, Dad," Tony said, putting his hand on his father's shoulder. Senior was still in great shape but Tony noticed how, despite the way his father meticulously fretted over his appearance, DiNozzo Sr. had slowed down a bit. Tony had to pull up on Shep's leash as they walked to the park so that Senior could walk at a comfortable pace. But McFlea had ambled alongside Senior at a gentle trot, never giving the older man reason to fight him on his leash. Shep was still learning about people; McFlea had already figured them out.

"I could have..." Senior began, stopping himself. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I _should_ have been better, Anthony. And I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, son."

"You're here now," Tony said reassuringly. He put his arm around Senior, giving him a little "man-hug" there on the park bench.

Both watched as Shep woke with a sudden start, barking loudly at some unseen entity. This woke McFlea, who sat up half-dazed, his ears poking up like antennas. Once it was determined that no imminent danger threatened the pair, they plopped their big boxy heads in their masters' laps. It was time to head for home.

"Ziva whipping up a gourmet feast tonight?" Senior asked, savoring the sunlight one last time before the walk back to the house.

"Eggplant Surprise," Tony answered. "The surprise will be if anyone in the house actually _eats_ it."

Senior and Tony glanced at one another. Both made "yuck" faces.

"Pizza?" Senior suggested, nodding towards the little neighborhood Italian restaurant at the far corner of the park.

"Pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese?" Tony asked.

"Not that we'd want to... spoil our _appetites_ for Eggplant Surprise," Senior sniffed.

"Oh, no," Tony agreed. "Wouldn't want to upset Sweet Cheeks."

"But maybe just ONE slice..." Senior pressed.

"Or three each. Or four," Tony hinted.

"That's my boy," Senior said, smiling as he and Tony gathered the dogs and headed off.


	180. Secrets That We Keep, Pt 1

Title: Secrets That We Keep, Pt. 1  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony makes a mysterious call.

* * *

Exhausted, Tony lay on the sofa, trying to get just one moment to himself. It had been a busy day and the night didn't look promising, either. With Ziva away at Hard Glock Camp and Senior off on a weekend trip to New York City for a visit to his lady friend who made the dogs' gourmet snacks, Tony was left with two attention-hungry children and two needy dogs.

At his feet, McFlea and Shep lay whimpering, desperate for just one more walk. Tony groaned; they'd been out three times already that day. How many trees could two dogs pee on, anyway?

And by now, Sarah and Jack were tired of being in the house. They'd gone through their usual Saturday routines - playing Zoo, playing Jungle, playing Zoo again, feeding McFlea's squirrels, napping outside in the hammock with Kitty Kate - and it was time now for something new, something that only Daddy could make up. But Tony wasn't in a creative, playful mood. He was the only person in the house who hadn't napped that afternoon; now he could barely keep his eyes open. When did Daddy get nap time, he wondered?

He was lonely. And he wanted company tonight. But everyone was busy. Ziva and Senior were out of town for the weekend. So were Abby and Tim. Ducky always had plans and Jimmy was with his hot girlfriend. The Boss? Yee-aah...

Tony briefly thought of E.J., the new team leader just in from Rota. She and Tony got along at the office but Ziva didn't like E.J. At all. She intrigued Ziva but not in a positive way, which meant trouble. Tony just regarded her with the same amusement he now reserved for all women not his wife. She was a loud, chatty, brassy little thing - the anti-Ziva - and Tony wasn't quite sure what to make of her, although he didn't dislike her. Tim, like Ziva, wasn't a fan. Kate would've hated her.

But tonight, seeking the company of just one other grown-up, Tony considered all his possibilities.

Massaging his temples, he steeled himself for what he was about to do. Never in his life since marrying Ziva had he thought he'd make a call like this. Wasn't he a different man now? A stronger man? A husband and father devoted to his family? Someone who could handle stress without needing... well...

Normally, yes. He was that man.

But not tonight.

Tony pressed a number on his phone. Speed dial. To be used only in case of dire emergency. He knew the risks, but he was taking them. What would Ziva say? Or Senior? How would he explain this to them?

He'd figure that out later. Right now, he just needed a break.

"Hey," he said softly, embarrassed at having had to even call. "It's me. Yeah... Yeah... Listen, can you... come over? Ziva's gone and... so's my dad. Just me. And the kids. No, they're not coming back until tomorrow night. Yeah... OK. OK..."

Tony paused, wondering if he should even pose his next question. "You could... y'know... stay over. Wouldn't have to tell anyone. Nah... Abby and McGeek are gone to a tattoo show."

The voice on the other end of the line asked a pointed question in response to Tony's suggestion. Tony drew in a long breath.

"Well, sure, Sarah's gonna know it's weird," Tony admitted, casting a furtive glance at his daughter. Sarah, hearing her name, frowned at her daddy. He wasn't acting like himself today and she didn't know why. "But she's good at keeping secrets. It'll be our little secret - just between the three of us. She'll go for it."

Sarah REALLY didn't like the sound of that. She knew what secrets were and she knew they got people into trouble more than they made them happy. Why was Daddy talking funny and who was he talking to on the phone? It wasn't Mommy or Papa Pony.

"Great," Tony said, breathing a little sigh of relief. "Oh, okay. You get the, uh, 'stuff' on the way and we'll work it out after the kids go to sleep... Yeah, yeah... Looking forward to THAT. Heh... See you soon."

With that, Tony hung up the phone and, savoring the moment, closed his eyes and grinned. This was going to be an... interesting night after all. Ziva was away... so why NOT play?

A new energy came over Tony. He was suddenly excited and eager to get the house whipped into shape. Rushing McFlea and Shep outside to the backyard, Tony barked at THEM to water the trees and do their jobs - ASAP!

When they finished, Tony hustled Sarah and Jack into the bathtub. Jack happily got in but Sarah defiantly refused to do the same. Tony was surprised; Sarah loved bath time.

"C'mon, Snugglepumpkin, it's tub time!" Tony chirped, winking at Sarah. "Get in there before the water gets cold."

"NO!" Sarah yelled angrily. frowning at Tony. She turned away from her daddy, not wanting to look at him.

"Sarah," Tony began, taking a soft, measured tone, "you need to take a bath. You know Mommy's rule about bath time."

"MOMMY NOT HERE!" Sarah shrieked. "I WANT MOMMY!"

With that, she bolted from the bathroom. Tony watched solemnly as her tiny bare bottom disappeared into the nursery, its door slamming in her wake.

"Somebody's not happy," a soft voice said. Tony, momentarily startled, looked up from where he held Jack in the tub. His guest had arrived. He hadn't even known.

"Misses Ziva," Tony replied quietly. "She was fine earlier. Not sure what happened."

"Maybe she wanted alone time with her daddy tonight," the voice said. "Girls love their daddies. I should know."

"Yeah," Tony said, grinning sheepishly. "Guess you would."

"Better go talk to her," the voice suggested. "I'll look after this guy."

Tony rose to his feet, facing his guest. It was a little bit odd, he thought, them being in such close quarters like this - outside of the office. He'd have never thought he'd be spending a Saturday night this way. His life had changed since marrying Ziva. Now he felt like a bachelor again, but only in the sense that he wasn't sure how to handle everything happening in his life at the moment.

"Thanks," Tony said, looking down at his feet. "Uh... You get that stuff we talked about? At the drugstore?"

"You bet," the voice said. "We'll get into that later."

"Okay," Tony sighed. He headed towards the nursery. "Nobody at the office is gonna know about this. Not even Ziva."

"Our little secret," Tony's guest said, gently washing Baby Jack's face.


	181. Secrets That We Keep, Pt 2

Title: Secrets That We Keep, Pt. 2  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony's mystery guest is revealed.

* * *

Poking his head in the doorway of the nursery, Tony looked for Sarah but saw only a huge lump in her bed. Two black snoots protruded from the lump, snuffling at the air. The lump itself sobbed.

"Sarah?" Tony began quietly, cautiously.

"Go 'way," Sarah sobbed. She was old enough now to feel that she deserved privacy in her room.

Tony sat down on the bed. McFlea popped his head out from the lump, resting it on one of Sarah's pillows. In his mouth was Silly Monkey, his other "son." Tony patted McFlea's big boxy head absentmindedly, trying to figure out what he'd say next.

"Sarah, come outta there," Tony said softly. "Daddy needs to talk to you."

The lump was quiet for about a minute. Then Sarah's curly moptop slowly peeped out. Shep sniffed at her bare shoulder.

"What's got you so upset, honey?" Tony asked. "I know you miss Mommy. And Papa Pony. But they'll be back tomorrow."

"I want..." Sarah began, unable to finish because she started to sob again, "I want MOMMY come home."

"Mommy will be home tomorrow afternoon," Tony said reassuringly. "Remember she told us that last night before she took Papa Pony to the airport?"

Sarah nodded, wiping tears from her eyes with the back of her arm.

"But... But... I want Mommy come home NOW," Sarah whimpered, bursting into full-blown sobs. Shep licked her shoulder with real concern. McFlea, also worried, nuzzled her curls.

Tony sighed. There was no way for Ziva to come home until Sunday afternoon. And she was picking Senior up on her way back, too.

Also, his guest was here. The night wasn't turning out like he'd hoped it would.

"You were happy that Mommy was going to camp yesterday," Tony tenderly reminded Sarah. "What happened? You just miss her? Mommy's been gone before and..."

"I not keep... keep SEE-KWET from Mommy!" Sarah yelled, suddenly angry despite her tears. "SEE-KWET BAD!"

Now Tony understood. Sarah had heard his phone conversation. Why had he thought she would just play along with some ruse of his, something he'd wanted to keep from Ziva and the rest of the NCIS group? That wasn't how he'd raised her. He felt guilty for having even considered finding a way to get Sarah in on the plan. And for having his guest think they could all keep the secret.

Tony drew in a deep breath. He tentatively reached out to push Sarah's curls back from her forehead, hoping his baby girl would let him soothe her.

"You're right, Sarah," Tony conceded quietly, working to keep his own tears from falling. "Secrets are bad. And we don't keep secrets from Mommy. We'll tell her everything that happened tonight, OK? I'll tell her about having a friend over."

Sarah wiped her eyes again, sniffled and stared at her father.

"Okay, Daddy," she said.

"Daddy asked someone special to come over," Tony said. "But I can ask them to go home if you want."

"Who is it?" Sarah asked.

Tony whispered something in Sarah's ear.

Just then, Tony's guest appeared in the nursery doorway, holding Baby Jack in a bath towel.

"I brought you something, Sarah," the soft voice said. "I hope you like it."

* * *

"... and that's it. That's everything. I screwed up. I know it. Couldn't handle the pressure by myself. Let my guard down. Did something I knew wasn't like me at all. But I promise you, Ziva - I will NEVER, EVER do anything like that again, OK? Nothing happened. We just... talked. All night long. Had coffee. Never drank so much coffee in my life! Look, since Dad was gone, I made up his bed and that's where..."

Ziva stared at Tony, her brown eyes narrowed. She wasn't fully comprehending what she was hearing. Yes, it was stunning and no, she wouldn't have imagined Tony would do something like this. Still, she needed time to process it all. Tony wasn't allowing her that.

"Tony!" Ziva interrupted brusquely. "Enough!"

"Ziva," Tony said miserably, "I'm just... Can you ever forgive me? Please? I never meant for this to happen. I was lonely. Lonely men do things they... shouldn't do. I'll spend the rest of my LIFE making it up to you - if you'll let me. Please, Ziva. Please say you will."

Ziva put her head in her hands. There was too much at stake in her life with Tony to refuse him what he asked.

"Alright," Ziva said calmly. "Make the call. I think the three of us should settle this. Now."

Tony gulped, but hit the emergency speed dial number on his phone. This was a conversation he didn't want to have.

"Hey. Yeah. It's bad. You were right," Tony said, pushing his hand through his hair. "She wants you to come over. Says we all need to hash this out."

* * *

When their little "chat" with Ziva was over and rules had been firmly set for work / home interaction between the two of them, Tony walked his guest to the door.

"I can still call you, right?" Tony asked, hoping the answer would still be "yes."

"Anytime," the soft voice answered.

"Thanks," Tony said, relieved. Then he added, "Even if Ziva's away?"

"Especially when Ziva's away," the voice said.

"Okay," Tony replied quietly.

"Isn't that what she told you to do?" the voice asked.

"Yeah," Tony said. "Ziva and I don't keep secrets from each other."

"No, you don't," the voice agreed. "Sarah won't let you."

"Neither will you," Tony said with a little smile. "When'd you call Ziva?"

"At the drugstore," the voice said. "When'd YOU call her?"

"After my fourth beer," Tony replied. "Or fifth. I forget."

"Fourth," the voice said. "Ya couldn't get to the phone fast enough."

The pair looked down at their feet, snickering.

"Ya know, you're not that guy anymore. You can handle things," the voice told Tony. "Bachelor days are over."

"No," Tony agreed. "I'm all grown up now. Husband, father, solid citizen."

"Sarah really liked those coloring books," the voice said.

"Thanks for picking those up at the drugstore," Tony said. He frowned and reached for his wallet. "We never did work that out. How much I owe you?"

"Tell you what: Next time I cook Cowboy Steaks in your oven," Gibbs said, a wry grin playing at his lips, "just make sure ya set the damn thing to self-clean, DiNozzo. I had a helluva time cleanin' it this mornin' when I was bakin' muffins for the kids."


	182. Tears Dry On Their Own

Title: Tears Dry On Their Own  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Sarah and Daddy come to an understanding.

* * *

A gentle breeze blew Sarah's curls against her face and she frowned, pushing them away. The motion rocked the hammock in which she and Tony lay, snuggling as they dozed following an already lengthy afternoon nap.

"Daddy's sorry he made you cry last night," Tony told Sarah softly. He stroked her forehead, pushing the curls from her face.

Sarah snuggled tighter against him. She always loved that her daddy felt warm and smelled like spices.

"It okay," Sarah said with a little sigh.

"No, it's not," Tony replied sadly. "When you cry, it makes me sad. I want to cry when you cry."

"Daddy, it okay," Sarah insisted, a tiny huff escaping her mouth. She sat up as best she could, trying to look him in the eye as seriously as possible. "You not cwy. You too big."

Tony had to laugh in spite of himself.

"Big people cry, too," he told Sarah. "Even daddies."

"You not cwy, Daddy," Sarah said, patting Tony's little gut, which she had a particular fondness for. "Pwomise you not... not cwy, OK, Daddy? OK?"

"OK," Tony said, kissing Sarah on the nose. "Let's promise to not make each OTHER cry anymore. Pinky-promise?"

"Piggy-pwomise," Sarah agreed, giving Tony a sweet peck on the lips before nestling against his chest.

And the deal was sealed.


	183. I Have You

Title: I Have You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: For those who weren't sure, yes - Tony missed Ziva.

* * *

During the daytime, spring reigned but at night the last of the winter winds desperately whipped at the windows, waking Tony. He lay in bed, Ziva at his side, listening to everything and nothing in the darkest time before daylight.

Ziva usually didn't awaken.

But this night, Tony felt her stir shortly after he'd opened his eyes. Her leg slowly, languidly caressed his. He heard her take in a deep breath, then exhale softly. Her body turned, meeting his.

She rested her head against his shoulder, her hand stroking his chest. Tony caught the glint of Ziva's wedding ring, the ring he'd given her. The ring he'd pledged his love with.

He reacted immediately to her touch, tensing as he worked to steady his breathing.

Without a word, Ziva rose and, gazing down at Tony, removed her slim camisole. Tony admired her as the moonlight streamed through the curtains. He reached to touch Ziva and, caressing her gently, he smiled when she did.

They needed no words, only a look, before Tony pulled Ziva down onto his chest, drawing her into what became a heated kiss. Kiss turned to touch. Touch to lovemaking.

And then Tony let himself drift into a familiar, heady haze of desire and sensation under Ziva's hand.


	184. Overcome By Happiness

Title: Overcome By Happiness  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: TIVA pillow talk late in the night.

* * *

"A quarter for what is on your mind," Ziva murmured, playing with the hair on Tony's chest.

Moonlight streamed in from the bedroom window, illuminating Tony, Ziva and all that surrounded them in pale shades of grey.

"Penny," Tony whispered. He reveled in the feel of Ziva's warm, soft breath against his shoulder.

"Who is Penny?" Ziva asked softly.

"No," Tony tenderly began, "the phrase is 'A penny for your thoughts.'" He sighed. "You were coming along so well, my tulip."

"I have been... distracted," Ziva admitted. She stroked one particular area of Tony's chest that she knew was especially sensitive to her touch, a wry little grin playing at the corner of her mouth when her husband reacted as she knew he would.

Tony moaned deep in his throat and, the tension increasingly growing too much for him to ignore, turned on his side to face Ziva. Gazing down at her as he propped himself up on one elbow, Tony marveled at her simple beauty. Even without makeup, she was striking; he never felt anything less than a smoldering desire for her, no matter the place, time or situation. He loved this woman, adored her, would give his life for her. Together, they had created one child and had raised another since she was a newborn. There was nothing about Ziva that, since their wedding night, he hadn't known. She had given herself to him in every sense and he had done the same. No secrets, they'd promised one another. Tony knew every inch of Ziva's body now and she his; their souls, too, were united.

"Distracted?"

Tony frowned slightly, raising an eyebrow playfully.

"I have missed... this," Ziva said breathily. "Us..."

"Me, too," Tony agreed huskily, just before leaning down to gently pull Ziva into a kiss.

"Tony..."

Ziva needed to say nothing more. Tony understood.

They spoke the same language.


	185. Alone And I

Title: Alone and I  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: More TIVA late-night musings.

* * *

Silence swallowed the night.

Drowsily, Tony stirred, coming to consciousness out of a deep sleep, not yet quite ready to wake but unable to doze any longer. The rather vivid dream he'd been having about his past, now forever interrupted, would remain incomplete. A story had started somewhere in his slumber but he couldn't close the chapter on it. He blinked, startled by the suddenness of it all, in the moonlight.

Beside him, Ziva lay dead to the world. Had he exhausted her that last time? This would be a first, he thought, still somewhat dazed.

Her body, soft against his, was warm.

He was not alone. Not anymore.

And yet, a chill shot through him, causing Tony to shudder. Never waking, Ziva instinctively pulled him against her. Now he trembled, but only slightly.

The heat of Ziva's skin against his reassured Tony.

Pressing his lips tenderly, as gently and softly as possible so as not to wake her, Tony kissed Ziva's forehead.

Now he felt a familiar heavy haze overtaking him. Sleep beckoned.

Giving in to luxuriant nothingness, Tony's last thoughts were of dusky olive skin, smoky brown eyes and sleek dark hair, sweat and release...


	186. Sad About Girls

Title: Sad About Girls  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Marcus commiserate about womenfolk.

* * *

"Drink, pardner?" Tony asked dolefully, his own "sad face" reflected by the miniature frown on the fellow opposite him at the kitchen table.

"Pwease," a small voice said. This was followed by an audible sigh. A tiny chin came to rest in a little palm.

"Sometimes," Tony continued, plunking two tumblers down onto the table, "when a girl breaks your heart, you gotta drown your sorrows." He opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of root beer. "Your mom let you drink this?"

"Yes suh, Mistuh Tony."

Tony's little friend barely noticed the root beer. His brown eyes were fixed on the table.

Tony poured half the bottle into each tumbler. He raised his, saluting his friend.

"To first love and heartbreak," he said, making another "sad face." Then he took a drink. His friend did the same.

"Wha... Wha's hot-bwake?"

Tony's friend looked confused. This was a new word for him, one he hadn't learned at school.

"Well, Marcus," Tony sighed, "heartbreak is when a girl makes you feel really, really sad because you really, really liked her. And she didn't really, really like you as much as you really, really liked her."

"Oh," Marcus said, taking a careful sip from his tumbler. His mommy had been working with him on not spilling things. "Mistuh Tony?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I ... I think I gotta hot-bwake."

Marcus sighed again and looked down.

"I think so, too," Tony agreed. "Let's each have a bowl of ice cream and talk it out."

* * *

Digging into their second bowls of ice cream, Tony and Marcus pondered girls and why boys even liked them.

"And THEN Sawah say she... she not WIKE shawks!"

Marcus nodded quite seriously when he told Tony this. Tony recoiled in horror.

"Not like SHARKS?" Tony exclaimed. "What kind of girl doesn't like SHARKS?"

"She say TIGUHS could EAT shawks an... an... dat not TWUE!"

On this point, Marcus was indignant. He would not be swayed.

"Tigers are tough," Tony reasoned, "but I'm with you, buddy. A shark could eat a tiger anyday." He snickered, shaking his head. "Girls..."

Marcus giggled too, now, for the first time all afternoon.

"Yeah! GUWLS! I don' wike GUWLS!"

"You know what Miss Ziva told ME? That my Mustang wasn't any different than a Camaro — they were just the same type sports car made by different companies and they only looked different." Tony leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest, an incredulous look on his face. "A 'Stang and a Camaro? The same CAR? HA! Can you BELIEVE that? Chicks..."

Marcus stared back at Tony, pie-eyed. A dribble of chocolate ice cream streamed from the side of his tiny mouth.

"Mistuh Tony?"

Tony, still caught up in his reverie, continued staring off into space for a minute, shaking his head and muttering "Same car... Crazy chick..." to himself sarcastically before suddenly snapping to, blinking and taking notice of Marcus again.

"Huh? Oh... ahem..." Tony cleared his throat and smiled. "Yeah, buddy?"

"What a..." Marcus needed a minute to remember the word. "... Bus-tank?"

* * *

"I GONNA TACKA YOOOOOU!"

Marcus took his backyard football seriously and Tony had to respect this about the kid. That said, defense was probably best for Marcus in the future; quarterbacks weren't exactly supposed to give away their strategies on every play. _I'm gonna tackle you... I'm gonna get a touch-town/[touchdown]... I'm gonna kick it past you... I'm gonna throw the ball..._Marcus had yet to master the art of the surprise attack.

Tony had the Nerf football and was his own quarterback, offensive line, defense, coach, special teams, water boy, etc., etc. Right now, he and Marcus snarled at each other across the line of scrimmage near the big oak tree. McFlea's squirrels sat high above on a branch, the day's only fans with premium seats for this mini-Super Bowl. Their bushy tails twitched whenever Tony or Marcus had the ball and ran helter-skelter around the yard.

"DOWN! SET! HUT! HUT! HUUUUUUT!"

Tony dropped back, faking a pass to... well... to nobody since he was the only player on his team, and before he could make another move, found himself flat on his back, gasping for air. Marcus, who didn't know the meaning of the word "fear," made good on his promise and, having made what could only be described as the sound a mortally-wounded T. Rex might've bellowed during the Dinosaur Age, had bolted across and taken Tony down with a perfect tackle by wrapping his strong little arms around Tony's knees and pushing with all his might.

Marcus leapt up and raised his arms in triumph, a huge grin spreading over his handsome little chocolate face.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! It MY bawl now, DUUUUDE!"

With that, he grabbed the football from Tony and did a little "sack" dance over his winded opponent before spiking the Nerf, which tumbled once or twice before resting next to Tony's ear.

His breath finally returning, somewhat, to him, Tony's green eyes went wide as he gaped up at Marcus.

_Little sneak,_ Tony thought to himself. _MAN, I gotta learn this kid's tricks. He's GOOD._

* * *

Now that Tony was losing 137-0, he really didn't want to play anymore. But Marcus had the energy of six little boys. So the game went on. And on.

"Time OUT!" Tony called, making a "T" sign with his hands.

"Aw, maaaaannnn..."

Marcus sighed, frowned and began throwing the football up in the air to himself, falling as he ran to catch it. Giggling, he got up and did this over and over again. Tony propped himself against the oak tree, catching his breath during this short rest period, and watched with admiration. He remembered how he'd done the same thing as a boy, playing quarterback to himself. But that was a long time ago.

From the front yard now, two muffled thumps sounded. Tony narrowed his eyes, staring in the direction of the thumps. In a few seconds, a light flicked on in his kitchen. Then the back door swung open, banging as it hit the house. Tony rolled his eyes, hearing this. Next on Ziva's 'Honey-Do' list, he thought to himself.

Marcus, who was now punting the football to himself, gave it one last good kick and looked to see what the racket was all about. His face lit up suddenly and he jumped up and down excitedly, waving his right hand.

"SAWAH! HEY SAWAH! HEY!"

Sarah ran full-tilt from the back deck to greet her best boy friend, even though she didn't really like boys, as she continually had to tell her Mommy, Daddy and Papa Pony. Only Boss Boss understood what she meant, wholly agreeing with Sarah's argument that boys were "yucky." Still, Marcus was a boy and she liked Marcus. He wasn't yucky. He was just Marcus.

Without stopping, Sarah barreled into her friend, knocking him to the ground. She sat on top of him, laughing.

"I TACKA YOU, MAWCUS!"

They both laughed for a minute before Sarah got up and, daintily offering Marcus her tiny hand, helped him to his feet. With his hand in hers, she led him to the house, chattering all the way about the new book Mommy bought for her about sharks and how there were sharks called TIGER SHARKS and did Marcus know that? Marcus said tiger sharks were his FAVORITE sharks because they were like sharks AND tigers and then Sarah said they should go read her new book and Marcus asked if they could play tiger sharks later and Sarah said yes, but she didn't want to be a mean tiger shark and Marcus said he'd try to be a good tiger shark just this once.

Tony wiped the sweat from his forehead and watched the pair totter away. Girls... they always won out in the end. A guy could never keep a good buddy when a girl came into the picture.

The back door closed, but then opened again, banging once more against the house.

Marcus, running as fast as his little legs would take him, hurried out to where Tony sat beneath the tree.

"Tank you for da ice cweams, Mistuh Tony," he said politely. "Next time, I show... show you how to tacka, OK?"

Tony offered Marcus the kind of brilliant smile he reserved for those closest to him.

"It's a deal, Sharkus."

And then he watched his little buddy dash back to the house, banging the back door one last time.

A pretty tiger shark was waiting for him.


	187. Let's Get It On

Title: Let's Get It On  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva... well... you know.

* * *

"I want another baby."

Sweaty from an afternoon of backyard football and bonding, Tony pulled off his t-shirt and, now bare-chested, eyed Ziva up and down. His green eyes smoldered as he took in the sight of her. He wanted her right there and then.

"I do, too," Ziva began, "but right now I am making dinner."

"Shower. Five minutes. I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Tony gave Ziva the look he reserved for her when she knew he was absolutely NOT kidding around.

"Marcus is here."

"I didn't invite _him_."

"I don't want him... _them_... to hear us."

"Then be quiet."

With that, Tony gave Ziva one last up-and-down look.

"FOUR minutes," he said, not batting an eye, and strutted off down the hallway to their bedroom.

Ziva sighed and closed her eyes. She shut off the burners on the stove. Boiling water began to settle.

Somehow, she knew this hadn't been the day to try out a new French recipe.

* * *

What Tony had told her, to be quiet, was difficult.

For both of them.

When Tony wasn't joking around, when he was in the mood to make serious love to her, she found it hard to maintain control... as did he.

Now he had her straddling him, her hips tight against his, as he moved within her. The heat of the shower, combined with Tony's steady rhythm, was making Ziva feel as intoxicated as if she were drunk. She moaned softly as he stroked her from inside, her cheek pressed against his shoulder blade. He, too, could not keep from groaning deep in his throat with each thrust.

They finished once, together, but Tony would not release her. Instead, panting, he repositioned Ziva at another angle against him and, still fully aroused, began gently moving inside her again.

"Tony..."

He could do this, she knew, as long as she would have him. And she never denied him. Why would she? She loved him. She loved this. She loved _them_, together.

She murmured something in Hebrew, clutching him tightly, and took the initiative, guiding him to areas he'd not yet explored to her satisfaction.

This time, the suddenness of his reaction caught him wholly by surprise. He hadn't been ready to let go but his body couldn't hold back. This time, Ziva wasn't with him when he surged within her. She enjoyed him for a few more minutes before she let herself give up what remained.

Exhausted, Tony moaned into Ziva's neck before he found the physical and emotional strength to break their union. It felt so right and she brought out sensations in him that no woman ever had. With her, he knew exactly how much of a man he truly was and he loved that she gave him everything when they were together. She held nothing back; nor did he.

When they made love like this, Tony's nerves were raw. She laid him bare, left him so vulnerable for a while afterwards that he couldn't face the world. It was all he could do to even look in Ziva's tender brown eyes after he'd let her touch him so deeply, after he'd had her so intimately. Sometimes he felt ashamed of how he couldn't let go of her, clung to her desperately when he was inside her. He wondered how he sounded when he was out of control, unable to form words or coherent thoughts when the orange haze of desire overtook him as Ziva's softness caressed him, welcoming him, complementing his firmness. He must sound like an animal when he let everything go, giving himself completely to Ziva, and it embarrassed him, afterwards.

This was how he felt now, unable to face Ziva.

Tony lowered his head, trying to turn away.

But Ziva pressed herself against him, holding him to her, loving the feel of his wet skin against hers. She rested her head against his chest, calmed by the sound of his strong heartbeat.

"Hold me," Ziva said softly. "Hold me, Tony."

And so he did, of course, for as long as she would allow him this simple pleasure, one arm crooked around the curve of her slim waist as he tenderly stroked her long, silky, dark hair with the other.


	188. Sweet Time

Title: Sweet Time  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Maybe it's baby time for Tony and Ziva. Maybe.

* * *

Tony watched Ziva as she stood naked before the bathroom mirror, towel-drying her long, dark hair.

The soft sensation of the thick towel against his skin as he dried himself was comforting and, he noted somewhat subconsciously, more intense than usual. But the adrenalin from having made love to Ziva for nearly an hour still surged through his body. A sort of electricity crackled throughout Tony; he felt wholly alive.

He should be satisfied. He shouldn't have the energy to want her again so soon.

But he did.

Letting the towel fall from his hand, Tony approached Ziva from behind, tenderly wrapping his strong arms around the curve of her waist. She flinched, but only slightly, feeling him against her hip. Ziva smiled, closing her eyes, as she took in a deep breath. Tony pulled her body to his, nuzzling her neck.

"Tony," she murmured lovingly, "I am not sure I have the strength..."

"Just want to be close to you," Tony said huskily, his tongue tasting the soft skin of Ziva's shoulder blade.

She turned towards him and he took her hands in his, leading her towards the bed. She lay down, watching as he moved to lock the door. Winking at Ziva, Tony brought his index finger to his lips. They'd have to be as quiet as possible again. The children were just across the hall, playing.

Now Tony joined Ziva where she lay, reclining beside her just before she pulled him down to her, her mouth overtaking his, their tongues hungrily entwining in embrace. Ziva gasped for breath when Tony tore his mouth from hers, his tongue moving to explore her neck. His hands cupped her breasts.

There was no way to keep from taking him again, she realized, and she whispered in his ear that she needed more from him.

He groaned softly, knowing she would have him once more, and kissed her hungrily once more before he lay back.

This time, she would control the rhythm.

He'd pressed her in the shower, been intent on ensuring that she felt how strong he was. They'd been trying for another baby for so long and he enjoyed the attempts. But there was always something so intimate between them when Ziva was pregnant; he felt that much closer to her — protective, even more loving, the man making certain his wife was comfortable as they prepared for the baby they'd created.

It had been that way before Jack was born. Even the little things like going to the doctor with Ziva, picking up the crazy food combinations she'd wanted from the store, shopping for baby items, explaining to Sarah that her baby brother would be born when he was ready (even though Sarah wanted him to be born "now, Daddy") — all of this infused Tony with new feelings and emotions he'd never imagined he'd ever experience as a man. He loved being Ziva's husband, the man who enjoyed her love physically and emotionally, and he loved being a father. His memories of holding Sarah and Jack as newborns were some of his happiest. They'd been helpless, totally dependent on him for care, and as their father, he'd protected and made sure they knew he loved them with all his heart. Now his babies were growing up and turning into strong, sweet, happy toddlers. They still needed him plenty but not always.

Every baby he and Ziva welcomed into their family was living proof of their love. Tony and Ziva both wanted a big family — as many children as they could have. What happened would happen, they'd decided.

And now, as Ziva gently rocked Tony's hips against hers, it was happening again.

Through the haze of desire overtaking him, Tony prayed it was happening again.

When the moment came, they knew, somehow, that it had.

This was how it should be, Tony told himself as he fought sleep. Ziva stroked his chest, her body close against his. She, too, began to doze. He'd exhausted her, he realized. This last time, she'd given him all she had left.

Just before Tony gave in to relaxation, the sound of Sarah's and Jack's laughter from the nursery across the hall brought a little grin to his face.

It was good, being a father, he knew.


	189. Feeling That Way

Title: Feeling That Way  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Post-shower, Tony and Ziva face Team DiNozzo.

* * *

Pizza was a beloved staple at Camp DiNozzo and tonight, for once, even Ziva welcomed its simplicity and the efficiency with which it arrived, just in time for the family's dinner.

Sarah, Baby Jack and their guest, Marcus, were overjoyed when told that there had been a change in dinner plans. When the two pizzas arrived, the trio rushed out of the nursery to the kitchen. Sarah and Marcus rushed, anyway; Baby Jack ran, stumbled over his own feet, fell, picked himself up and then did it all over again until he finally made it to the table. Clambering up into a chair, he then found that without his booster seat he was too far down in the seat to reach for pizza. This naturally called for a loud holler of protest.

"TOP it, Jack Jack!" Sarah said, frowning at her baby brother. She loved him but he was impatient. "I GET you pizza!"

Baby Jack stopped his hollering but he pounded his little fists in the air, too hungry and excited by the smell of pizza to wait much longer. Marcus had already started on his first slice. He was a big boy and Jack wanted to be a big boy, too.

Sarah daintily took out a slice of pizza for Baby Jack, sliding it onto a paper plate. Jack Jack squeaked with glee and grabbed for his pizza.

"It HOT!" Sarah warned. "You gotta wait."

"Ow," Marcus said, sticking out his tongue. Sarah's caution had come too late for him. "I buwned my mouf."

"MOMMY!" Sarah called out, peering across the table at Marcus' tongue. He stuck it out further so she could really see it. "MAWCUS HUWT HIS MOUF!"

Back in the master bedroom, Ziva finished drying her hair and placed her thick towel in the clothes hamper. She'd just finished dressing. Again.

"Mmmm... Somebody's popular today."

Tony emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. A knowing, wry grin played at his lips as his green eyes fell on Ziva. He winked at her and she couldn't keep from blushing.

"I will... go see what... what is the matter."

Ziva heard herself stammering and found it both amusing and mildly embarrassing. Stammering? Because she'd had shower sex with her husband? Please... But then they'd... well... again... NOT in the shower...

As she started for the door, she still felt Tony's gaze on her.

"I'll miss you," he said in the low, husky tone he always took on after they'd made love.

She turned to smile back at him — just in time to see Tony drop his towel and offer her a little "bye-bye" wave with his fingers.

* * *

"Are you hungry, Tony?" Ziva asked, offering her husband a slice of pizza.

"Ravenous," Tony said, licking his teeth with his tongue.

"Daddy, what a ... a wabbitous?" Sarah asked.

"It a BUNNY," Marcus said, shrugging as he gave Tony a look that seemed to say "Girls... sheesh..." Sarah, unamused, frowned at Marcus, poking out her lips in a little pout as she glared at him from across the table. But Marcus didn't seem too worried as he chewed a bite of pizza, fumbling to wipe his mouth with a napkin. Seeing Sarah's face, he finished his bite and wrapped his arms around himself, unable to keep from giggling. Sarah couldn't stay mad at him; she giggled, too.

Ziva wiped Baby Jack's mouth and he kicked fussily. He'd gone "all in" on his own slice of pizza, smearing cheese and sauce all over his little face. A random pepperoni clung to his left cheek.

"The term 'pizza face' was made for that kid," Tony joked, winking at Ziva while nodding towards their son.

Ziva frowned, clearly not getting the gag.

"Never mind," Tony said, taking a huge bite of pizza. He chewed it solemnly, never taking his eyes off Ziva. "So, Marcus," Tony said when he'd finished, "you up for watching the Orioles on TV later? Sarah, Jack and I like to settle in for a little O's baseball on Saturday nights."

"I don' WIKE the Owioles!" Marcus said, lifting his chin haughtily. "My DADDY say the... the... YANGEES the gweatest team EVUH!"

Tony's eyes went wide with horror.

"Yankees? NO..."

"My DADDY say... say... Weggie JACKSTON the MAN!"

Now Marcus was really excited.

"When I pway basebaw, Mistuh Tony? At the pawk? I was on the YANGEES an... an... my DADDY? My DADDY, he ... he get me fowdy-fowr 'cause dat what WEGGIE wear! I numbuh FOWDY-FOWR!"

Tony sighed, disheartened by Marcus' love for all things Yankees, but touched that his father had instilled such loyalty in the boy. Marcus' father, an active-duty Marine, was serving overseas and Marcus and his baby brother, Malcolm, hadn't seen their daddy in months. Tony and Ziva were always happy to have Marcus for sleepovers to give his mom, who worked as an FBI evidence analyst, a break. Malcolm and Jack loved playing together and Jack wanted Malcolm to spend the night, too, but Malcolm wasn't quite ready to be that away from his mommy just yet. He cried when she suggested he go with Marcus on a vacation for just one night, so it hadn't happened yet. But Tony and Ziva would've enjoyed having Malcolm around as well.

"We wike the OWIOLES!" Sarah told Marcus in no uncertain terms.

"Hey, hey..." Tony said, not liking Sarah's tone. "Marcus can like the Yankees and we can like the Orioles and that's okay. YOU don't like chocolate milk, but Jack does, right, Sarah? Huh? And we don't make you drink chocolate milk just because Jack likes it, do we?"

"No, Daddy," Sarah said, issuing a little sigh. "I sowwy, Mawcus. It okay if you... you wike Yangees, OK?"

"OK," Marcus said, smiling back at her. He thought Sarah was kind of funny when she got mad. And she didn't stay mad or act mean like some kids at their school. "I can wike the Owioles."

"YOU can like whatever team you want to, Marcus," Tony told his little friend, rubbing his stubby little head. Earlier that day, Marcus had complained to Tony that he wanted a BIG hair like Weggie Jackston but his daddy said he had to keep his... his... aftwo?... short because he was a boy so his mommy made him go to the man with the thing that went BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ and now he didn't look cool like a duuuuude. Marcus cracked Tony up.

When Sarah and Marcus had been excused from the table and headed to the living room to watch the Orioles, who Marcus was warming up to, Tony lifted Baby Jack into his lap and hugged his boy to his chest as he peppered the top of Jack's head with little kisses.

"Somebody needs a bath," Tony teased, sniffing at Jack's little faux-hawk. Baby Jack, who loved bath time, squeaked "BAFF! BAFF!" happily and turned to look up at his father, clapping his little hands excitedly. Tony continued the joke by pulling Jack into his arms and loudly sniffing him all over — snorting at his forehead, his cheeks, his ears, his neck, lifting his arms to sniff his tiny armpits, sniffing at Jack's belly and finally making snorking sounds as he sniffed Baby Jack's feet.

"Phew-EEEE!" Tony exclaimed, winking at Ziva as he pinched his nose with one hand while cradling Jack, who laughed uncontrollably now, in the other arm. "Who threw this little STINK BOMB into the house?"

Now Tony rose from the table and, as Jack shrieked with joy, nestled his son over his shoulder as they headed down the hallway for Jack's bath. Ziva sat alone at the kitchen table, watching them fade into the distance.

With any luck, the new baby would like baths. And pizza. And, oh yes — the baseball birds Sarah was so fond of.


	190. That's My Job

Title: That's My Job  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Can Tony love Jack Jack more? Not much.

* * *

He couldn't be sure exactly when it would happen but the day would come. And he dreaded it. Because he loved these days, the days when his son screamed with unadulterated joy the minute his naked little butt hit the warm water in the bathtub.

But one day, Tony knew, he and Jack wouldn't do this anymore. A chapter in their lives would close. Jack would get too big for Daddy to give him his nightly bath. Tony would be left only with the memories that would fade slowly over time, as all memories did.

On this night, however, father and son shared in their ritual just as they'd done each day since Baby Jack was born. Occasionally, Mommy bathed Jack and he was fine with that; he loved Mommy. But bathtime was really Daddy Time for Jack. Daddy liked to play boats and bathtime was most fun when there was a high sea with boats tossing every which way in the bubbly ocean.

"BOAT!" Jack exclaimed loudly as Tony handed him each member of the flotilla they put to sea each evening. "BOAT! BOAT! BOAT! BOAT! DADDY! DADDY! BOAT!"

Tony grinned at his boy. Jack was picking up words as quickly as Sarah had. He was so proud of his kids. Sometimes, noting how sturdy and strong little Jack had become, Tony had to take a second, longer look at his son. He'd never forgotten that Jack, born prematurely, was so tiny he could once hold him in the palm of his hand. When he'd watch Jack sleeping in what Tony called his "box," the incubator in the NICU where Jack spent his first weeks of life outside Ziva's womb, Tony silently prayed the baby he and Ziva had created would just live — just make it through that day... and the next... and the next...

Now Jack had outgrown all the clothes they'd bought him just a couple of months prior and he ate like a champ. He wasn't too big; he was simply a healthy baby boy who was moving quickly into toddler stage. Jack wanted to do everything that Sarah did. He certainly tried, although he was usually less than successful, and his penchant for hollering when he didn't get his way was starting to wane. Sarah had tired of this aspect of her baby brother's personality and so, seeing that his beloved big sister was apt to go play without him when he got fussy, Jack was learning to control his temper.

Still, though... Tony wasn't fooled by Baby Jack's recent good behavior around the house.

His boy was a DiNozzo Man.

Which meant his boy was trouble.

At the park only the day before, Tony found himself explaining to a mom who frankly wasn't buying what he was selling that Jack just reeeeeally liked baby girls and when he grabbed them and randomly gave them big smoochies on the lips, well... heh... kids, right? Right? No?

"You were a BAD boy yesterday, buddy," Tony teased, winking at Jack as he tenderly washed his son's tiny face. "I don't think we're gonna see that girl again on the hippity-hop horsey again anytime soon. Just HAD to kiss her, didn't ya?"

Baby Jack laughed, splashing the water with both hands.

"Smooooooo!" he giggled, making a little kissy-face by pooching out his lips. Tony had to laugh; this was how he and Ziva gave Jack kisses when playing with him — by puckering up and saying "Smooooooch" before peppering him with little kisses until he couldn't stand it anymore and laughed, squealing with glee until he was almost out of breath.

"Well, YOU better save the smoos for when you're old enough to try swearing to the mommies that you never touched her, got it, Romeo?"

Tony lifted Jack's strong little arms. He washed Jack's chest and belly. Jack patted his tummy, gazing up at his daddy with adoration. It touched Tony beyond anything words could convey when his son's green eyes met his. It was as if he were seeing himself as a baby. Jack would look like him someday. Not exactly like him but close enough. Tony hoped the new baby would look like Ziva, have her dark features. Sarah didn't look like her mother but their souls were one and the same. That's how it was with Tony and Jack. Like father, like son. Tony cherished this.

"Uh oh," Tony told Jack in all seriousness now. "Looks like a storm's comin' in."

"SORM!"

Baby Jack lifted his arms and smacked the water with all his might. A huge splash soaked his father and him and both shook with laughter. Their fleet of toy boats bounced on the tidal wave created by Hurricane Jack. It took a couple of minutes for the wave, and its creator, to settle down. Thoroughly sopped, Tony leaned against the tiled wall flanking one side of the tub and just admired his son. He'd never thought he would have a child. Ziva changed that. They had two children and, he was sure, a third on the way.

"Ready for story time?" Tony softly asked. Jack nodded eagerly. Snuggling quietly with Daddy and hearing about jungle boys and lions made him feel safe when it got dark. Daddy smelled good and Jack got sleepy when Daddy talked and it was quiet and he was warm in his jammies. Sometimes Mommy and Sarah snuggled with them, too, and Shep and McFlea got to snuggle and that was REALLY special.

Once Jack was in his pajamas, Tony carried him into the master bedroom, lay down on the bed, let Jack nestle against his chest and began softly reading from "The Jungle Book." Was it too advanced for a baby like Jack when there were lots of baby-friendly readers out there? Yes. But the rhythm of the words lulled Jack to sleep and he fully understood the concepts of lions and tigers and jungle creatures. They'd read stories of Mowgli and Shere Khan at least four, five, six times now and it never got old.

After about 10 pages, Baby Jack's steady, soft breathing told Tony that his son had drifted off. So he gingerly carried Jack to the nursery, carefully putting him down into his crib for the night, making sure Jack was covered and warm and that his Moo was at his side.

Tony took a minute for himself, sitting in the rocking chair Gibbs had handcrafted for the nursery. He watched as Jack kicked, yawned and then fell into a deep sleep.

_That's my boy,_ Tony thought, filled with love and pride. _That's my boy. _


	191. Little Bird

Title: Little Bird  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva has news. Which means a big move for someone.

* * *

Abby paced back and forth in the NCIS bullpen, her tall, black, thick-soled boots repeating their path past Tim's desk, Gibbs' desk, Tony's desk, Ziva's desk... Then she'd turn on her heel and the procession would start again, but in reverse order.

"Abs," Gibbs said softly, frowning at his computer. The damn thing never worked right. He smacked it once for good measure. Now it got with the program — literally.

"Well, they should be BACK by now, Gibbs!" Abby said nervously, turning at Tim's desk to begin another short lap. "Ziva said she got the FIRST appointment with the doctor this morning and Tony was supposed to text me when he found out if we were getting another team member but he DIDN'T text me and, I mean, I know there are HIPPA laws about not taking your cellphone into a doctor's appointment and it's to protect patient confidentiality because not everyone WANTS people to know if they're getting a mole burned off or if they need a surgical reattachment of their..."

"Abs," Gibbs said again, just as softly. Abby waited for him to continue but he didn't. Sighing impatiently, she flopped down into Ziva's chair and looked sad. Waiting had never been her strong suit.

"Probably just got caught in traffic on the way back from the doctor, Abby," Tim said reassuringly, offering Abby a tender smile from across the way. "Or Tony needed an after-breakfast snack and they had to stop so that..."

"Wrong and wrong-_er_, McKnow-Nothing," Tony teased, jauntily leading Ziva out of the elevator and into the bullpen area. Abby jumped out of Ziva's chair, beaming with anticipation of big news. But Tony and Ziva both simply took their seats at their desks, saying nothing as they logged into their computers. Ziva smiled warmly at Abby as she took her seat.

"Guys?" Abby asked, raising her eyebrows. Her eyes were bright and wide. She looked from Tony to Ziva and then back to Tony again. Tony and Ziva glanced up at one another and then both studied Abby.

"_C'mon_, you guys!" Abby said, pouting. She folded her arms and, looking like a little girl who wasn't in on a private joke, frowned at her friends. "Am I an Aunt Abby again?"

Tony looked at Ziva. Ziva looked at Tony.

"As it turns out," Ziva said, a little knowing smile playing at the corners of her mouth, "you are, indeed."

* * *

Tony sat at the kitchen table, pondering. Ziva had gone to bed, as had the babies and dogs. So had Senior. The house was silent, which was rare.

Now, with a new baby on the way, there would be even more of the clamor Tony loved. But all day, since the doctor had confirmed what he and Ziva suspected, the logistics of adding another person to his household had mildly tempered his joy at getting official word that he was going to be a father yet again.

His little house, which he'd once loved specifically because it was small and cozy, was now about to be TOO little. Where would everyone sleep? Sarah and Jack already shared the nursery and it was tiny. Senior had the guest room. Guests, when they had any, were offered Tony and Ziva's room and Tony and Ziva took the pull-out sofa bed in the living room. Or the guests did, if they chose to do so. Regardless, space at Camp DiNozzo was at a premium. Something had to give.

The thing was, Tony couldn't see he and Ziva even thinking of buying a bigger house right now. Not with the baby coming. They were still paying off what insurance hadn't covered for Jack's hospital stay when he was born. Plus, they'd only been in the little house for a couple of years. Nobody was buying homes in the D.C. area right now, not like they had been. He hated looking at his beloved little house as a liability but right now that's what it seemed to be.

Tony sighed. He and Ziva had put their heart and soul into making the house their house. It was just too small.

He couldn't ask Senior to go. And he wouldn't. Tony loved having his father in his home and the children did, too. Senior needed his family and they needed him as well. He was a huge help to Tony and Ziva already and he'd spent the day planning how he'd alter his routine when his third grandchild joined the family. He would see to the morning feedings, the changings, the coordinating of the littlest DiNozzo's outfits (good grooming started early, he'd reminded Tony), the outings in the park, the noon feedings, the naps, the late-night rocking sessions... It had been a while since Tony had seen the older man so excited.

Whatever the answer was, he'd have to figure it out tomorrow. Tonight he was wiped out.

Fatherhood was the hardest job he'd ever known.

* * *

Over the weekend, Tony opted to handle the chores he'd been blowing off during football season. And basketball season. And, so far, baseball season. Sarah asked if she could be daddy's helper and Tony said yes.

"I'm gonna be moving a lot of stuff in the attic," Tony sweetly cautioned, "so watch your fingers and toes, OK?" Sarah's job would be to tell daddy, as best she could, what was in the boxes so he could decide what to keep and what to get rid of.

Sarah nodded and said she'd be careful.

The attic to the little house was accessed through a short set of stairs that dropped down from a large ceiling panel. Since they'd moved in, Tony had been up there only to add or remove boxes as Ziva requested. Pulling on the handle to the panel, Tony positioned the stairs and carefully made his way up into the attic, flicking on the lights. Seeing that everything was in fair order, he helped Sarah up the stairs so that she could join him.

"Daddy!" Sarah squeaked, seeing the attic for the first time, "It BIG!"

Tony frowned. He'd never thought of the attic as being that big but, giving it a second look, realized that it was pretty spacious to a little girl.

It was a full room, tall enough for him to stand in, and without all the boxes there was plenty of space for furniture.

"Let's get these boxes out of here first," Tony told Sarah, "and then we'll see what we've got."

* * *

That night, Tony and Sarah snuggled in her bed. The nursery now looked so small to him. But maybe it was only because Sarah was getting so big.

It was story time and the new book Sarah had picked out at the store was a story about a little bird who had a nestful of brothers and sisters. When the nest got too full, the little bird — along with his growing siblings — eventually had to learn to build his own tiny nest and sleep in it by himself. It was scary at first but he got used to it and by the end of the story, the little bird's nest was as homey and cozy as his old nest had been. Sometimes his brothers and sisters came to visit and their new nests were comfy, too. The little bird sometimes flew home to his old nest and he got to visit his tiny baby brothers and sisters. He told his Mommy and Daddy that when they got too big for that nest, he'd help them build nests of their own just like he had.

"Daddy," Sarah said solemnly, pressing her cheek against Tony's chest when he'd finished reading, "I wish I had a nest." She sighed and patted Tony's little gut.

Tony kissed her on the top of the head, inspiration suddenly giving him reason to grin tenderly at his baby girl's words.

"Well, little bird, we can set one up," Tony replied lovingly. He let his green eyes wander to the ceiling. He was worn out from the day's work but the attic was spotless. "And I think I've found just the right place."


	192. Full Moon And Empty Arms

Title: Full Moon And Empty Arms  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony, Ziva, the front porch swing. Short 'n' sweet.

* * *

"You think we're havin' a boy or a girl this time?"

Tony leaned in, nuzzling Ziva's neck as he pushed her long, dark hair back. Now that she was pregnant a second time, he found that — just as had happened when she'd been pregnant with Jack — he couldn't keep his hands off her. Or his lips. Everything about her excited him that much more. She was having their baby and he never wanted to be away from her.

"Tony, I have been pregnant for about one month," Ziva said. But she was just teasing Tony. She remembered how extra-sensitive her prior pregnancy had made him and she always enjoyed seeing him let his guard down and show her his tender side.

Her OB/GYN had said Tony was experiencing a kind of "sympathy syndrome" some men were prone to when their wives were expecting. He was, the doctor had explained, "feathering the nest" for their baby, feeling that as the father he was responsible for not only the new baby's well-being, protection and comfort but Ziva's as well. Also, that of his other babies. As a result, all of his senses were heightened. He was overprotective. He hovered. He stressed about the littlest things. He obsessed about all things baby-centric and fancied himself THE authority on babies, reading every baby-raising / pregnancy strategy tome he could get his hands on. If Ziva was hungry, Tony was hungry. When she was exhausted, he was too. Her strange cravings became his strange cravings. When she cried, he sobbed. If the baby kicked Ziva, Tony complained of a stomach ache. And when she woke up with morning sickness, well, it was lucky their little house had two bathrooms.

The one thing Tony couldn't stand when Ziva was pregnant was not being able to hold her. Even when she didn't feel like being held, she let Tony hold her. She knew how important it was to him to just have her in his arms.

"But I believe we will have a..."

Ziva was interrupted by the sound of Baby Jack crying. Sometimes, if he got too hot at night, he had nightmares. She started to get up and go to him but found that she didn't need to when she heard Senior's smooth voice softly telling his grandson that everything was going to be alright and Sarah reassuring her baby brother "It a dweam, Jack Jack." Baby Jack's wails quickly turned to sobs and then to toddler babble when Senior began relating a story to him about a monkey and an elephant that were best friends in a jungle far, far away. Ziva could hear the sound of the rocking chair Gibbs had built; Senior opened the window to the nursery, just to let in some fresh, cool night air for a while, and his kind voice was tender in the darkness.

Tony pulled Ziva close to him, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders. He didn't want her to catch a chill. The warmth of his body was making her sleepy, he could tell. But she wasn't quite ready for bed yet. He'd looked forward to alone time with Ziva all day, time when he could just cradle her in his embrace. His arms had felt so empty.

They sat on the front porch swing, looking out at the pale light cast on the yard by the full moon. Stars twinkled above them. It was still cool at night, but the scent of spring wafted through the air.

"I love you," Tony whispered.

"I love you, too," Ziva whispered back.

"I think we're gonna have another boy," Tony whispered.

"We will see," Ziva whispered in reply.


	193. Watch Your Step

Title: Watch Your Step  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony gets an offer he CAN refuse.

* * *

Some days, the temptation was simply too much for him. He was a man tormented by paradox: There was the right thing to do and, oh yes, he knew that always, always he should do what was good and right and noble. But then... then there was what he wanted to do. And it was wrong, so so wrong. It would hurt him in ways that he fully understood and perhaps in some that he wouldn't see coming. He told himself he should stay away, resist...

... and yet he found that he was utterly powerless to do so.

"Thought I'd find you here," E.J. Barrett said, sidling up beside Tony as he stood in deep thought, considering all his options. He raised an eyebrow, noting her presence. He hadn't expected company.

"Oh?" Tony asked. "Why's that?"

He continued staring straight ahead, his eyes narrowed in focus.

"You come here every day at the same time," E.J. said, tossing back her long, strawberry blonde hair. She'd moved to stand where she could more easily face Tony. And where Tony could look at her, too.

His green eyes were fixed, though, on what he'd been studying when she sought him out.

"Well, aren't _you_ observant?" Tony said, issuing a little snort. Again, he found himself surprised. Who cared about his work routines, except Gibbs? And he only cared when... well... when he _really_ cared. Even Ziva couldn't give much account of Tony's usual at-NCIS day if they weren't in the field. She had her own tasks to handle.

"I _am_," E.J. replied, "when I get interested in something." She paused and gave Tony a long look up and down. "Or _someone_."

Now she had Tony's attention.

He raised both eyebrows, a mildly mocking grin playing at the corners of his mouth, and slowly turned his eyes to E.J.

"_Someone_, huh..." Tony repeated.

All he could do was stare at E.J. Words wouldn't form. So many thoughts flooded Tony's mind that he couldn't organize them in any logical fashion.

She was serious. No joke.

This woman was coming on to him.

_Really?_

He opened his mouth to say something, anything but again — words utterly failed him.

Instead, he heard himself begin to snicker. Uncontrollably. His shoulders shook; he didn't want to embarrass E.J. any more than he figured she'd already embarrassed herself with this ridiculous scene but at this point, he couldn't help himself. Tony shook his head and found that he couldn't stop, frankly, giggling.

E.J.'s fair face flushed furious pink. Her blue eyes flashed with anger.

"You think this is _funny_, Tony?"

The question only made things worse.

"YES!" Tony burst out, laughing.

"Go to HELL!" E.J. hissed, shooting Tony a nasty look. "_Bastard_," she muttered under her breath as she turned to stalk off.

"You know," Tony said, folding his arms across his chest as he now took on a deadly serious tone, "there was a time when I'd have fallen for this bit hook, line and sinker."

E.J. whipped around, still fuming, to face Tony.

"Few years ago, before I met Ziva, you'd have been just my type," Tony continued. He noticed E.J.'s face soften. She appeared intrigued. "I was all in for the no-strings-attached sex. Couldn't get enough of it, actually. Spent my life chasing chicks and sleeping around. I was livin' it up. In fact," Tony paused, laughing, "back then? I'd have been all _over_ you. Would've dumped you when we did it a few times but totally would've gone for it with you. That whole 'thrill of the hunt' thing. I was _that_ guy."

Now E.J. offered him a sexy, come-hither grin. She was enjoying the conversation.

"And you're... _not_ that guy now?" E.J. purred, parting her lips suggestively. "What, because you got _married_? Had a couple of _kids_? C'mon, Tony... would it really be so _bad_? Finding a way to have your wife and your kids and your dogs and your little house... and to be _that guy_ again?" She moved towards him. "With _me_?"

Tony's green eyes sparkled, hearing this.

"Yes," Tony said in a stage whisper, smiling as he gazed down mockingly at E.J., "it WOULD really be so bad. Also, it won't happen. Because, sorry — I'm NOT that guy now. Haven't been since Ziva showed up. Funniest thing... I get partnered with a crazy Mossad chick and all that sleeping around, all the sex? Didn't mean a damn thing anymore. 'Cause it wasn't with HER. See, I fell in _love_ with Ziva, E.J., _Zeee_-vah. And we _got_ married and we _had_ babies and we _have_ dogs and we _have _a little house. And you know what? I LOVE it."

E.J. again looked furious. But Tony's own anger at being put in this position matched hers. And so he went on.

"If you really think I'm EVER gonna wreck everything I've got with Ziva? With my kids? With the baby I've got coming?" Tony shook his head, honestly finding it hard to believe that E.J. could've bought into such an idea. "Maybe you're not so on the ball about things as you _think _you are."

Slowly raising his left hand, Tony deliberately waggled his ring finger so that E.J. could take full notice of his silver wedding band.

"It's not goin' _anywhere_," he told her in the low, threatening voice he normally reserved for suspects during interrogation, "and neither am I. Sell it somewhere else. I'm off the market. And I'm not looking to _buy_ anything, either. We _understand_ each other... Special Agent _Barrett_?"

E.J. was livid, trembling with fury. Tony had rejected her and made her look like a fool in the process. Why waste any more time with this loser? There were other guys who would jump at the chance to have her in their beds. Besides, TONY was the one who was missing out. A wife... kids... stupid dogs... a house to look after — who _needed _it?

"Absolutely... Special Agent _DiNozzo_," E.J. hissed hatefully before shooting one final cold glance at Tony. Then she stalked off, her heels clicking on the hard, tiled flooring as she made a hasty exit.

Rolling his eyes at the silliness of it all, Tony sighed. Was this his punishment for falling victim yet again to the agonizing temptation that he wrestled with daily?

Perhaps.

But now he needed it more than ever. Had to have it. He'd held back for so long. Just this one time... he could... he could cheat. Ziva would _never_ find out. _Never._

Tony's green eyes cast a furtive glance to his left, then his right. Nobody would sneak up on him again, not now. The shame would be too much to bear if word got around NCIS. What would The Boss say? Oh, it could get so ugly...

His right hand slipped into his front pocket, fumbling for that which would send him down the sure path to hedonistic pleasure.

But he didn't care.

He wanted it.

Right now.

And it was there for the taking.

Ahhh... It was all so familiar...

The clink of the coins, the whirr of the coil, the soft thud of the packet as it dropped...

Lifting the first, moist chocolatey King Kong Kake to his lips, Tony closed his eyes and moaned in anticipation of the sort of satisfaction he'd craved for so many months... so many, many long months...


	194. Loveable

Title: Loveable  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: ... and then there's Ziva's reaction to E.J.'s come-on.

* * *

Most women would've KILLED.

He'd be interrogating them right now. Or Gibbs would. Slapping the photos of The Other Woman down on the table, forcing the suspect to see what she'd done to the little homewrecker who'd tried to seduce HER husband.

Yes, that's how most women would've handled this.

But laughing until their stomach muscles cramped up?

Not really what Tony had expected from Ziva but then again, there wouldn't be all the fuss of trying to piece E.J.'s remains back together like a jigsaw puzzle, either, so yeah, he guessed there _was_ that.


	195. Green Shirt

Title: Green Shirt  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva discuss the E.J. situation. Briefly.

* * *

"Crazy day, huh?" Tony called out to Ziva as she readied for bed.

She was in the bathroom, moisturizing. Whatever she used to keep her olive skin so soft, Tony thought to himself, he wished he could bottle its essence for other times of the day. The scent always stimulated him. Ziva smelled like she'd been at the beach after applying it. Sometimes he secretly poked around in the medicine cabinet, looking for this mysterious aphrodisiac, opening bottles and squeezers of this or that, sniffing at them like a hound. But he could never find what he was looking for. Where did she hide it?

"Did you say something, Tony?"

Tony sat up now, bolting upright from where he'd been reclining on the bed. Ziva emerged from her nightly pre-bed ritual wearing his green Elvis Costello t-shirt.

She owned many alluring pieces of lingerie, most of which Tony had bought for her. And they were all incredibly sexy and titillating, as they were meant to be. Ziva looked amazing in them.

But not one of those skimpy g-strings or lacy bras or silky camisoles ever aroused Tony as much as when Ziva slipped on the green shirt. Tonight, she had.

He'd had the shirt for a couple of years and, having been washed to precise softness and shrinkage, it now clung to Tony's body comfortably. Not too tight, but just snug enough. The perfect fit. He wore the green shirt sparingly but when he did, he looked fantastic in it (and he knew it). When he'd taken Sarah and Jack to "Daddy Day" at NCIS, he'd been super-cool as the one Very Special Agent dad there who, in his vintage rock tee and worn Levi's, eschewed the polo shirt and khakis "golfer dad" uniform the other agents went in for. He and Sarah smoked the rest of the field in the sack race (Toddler Division) that afternoon. The little blue ribbon they'd won proudly festooned her "brag board" of accomplishments and things she loved in the nursery. So that Tony could have a blue ribbon, too, she'd drawn one and colored it for him to take to work. It was taped to the front of his desk next to the picture of Tony The Tiger showing ALL his sharp teeth and Tony's officially unofficial NCIS "nameplate," a Baby Jack creation of scribble that looked enough like "DDDDDDD" for Tony to tell anyone who asked that it read "DADDY." Sort of.

"You look good in Elvis," Tony said huskily as Ziva joined him in bed. He pushed back her hair, sniffing at her neck. She'd used the secret skin stuff again. It had the instant, usual physical effect on Tony, heightened tonight by the green shirt's appearance.

"You would not have me wear something else to bed?"

Ziva put the question out there but she already knew the answer. This was how they played.

"Unnhh-unnhhh..." Tony, still sniffing at her skin, grunted. He was going to have to make love to her now. Like, RIGHT now. She'd brought this on herself. He didn't think he could hold back from taking her long enough for too much foreplay. Tony's tongue sought out Ziva's. His hands slid under the soft green shirt, caressing her breasts.

Ziva could feel that he was more than ready for sex. But tonight, she meant for Tony to wait until she was willing to have him.

Gently, she rolled Tony onto his back and, breaking their kiss, straddled him. His hands moved to her hips. He moaned softly as she positioned herself atop him, stroking the hair on his chest and stomach with her fingertips. Ziva tossed her hair back and gazed down at Tony, her dark brown eyes seeming to peer right into his soul.

Tony's breathing grew shallow. His heart pounded. He wanted Ziva terribly. The wait was agonizing.

"Ziva..."

"I did have a ... chat ... with Special Agent Barrett late this afternoon," Ziva said quietly. She continued caressing Tony, an act that always brought her immense physical pleasure. The feel of his soft chest hair under her hand was comforting. Also, she loved literally playing with Tony; a night spent with him in bed was never boring and he was always willing to let Ziva explore him at leisure. He was ticklish in the strangest areas, she'd learned.

Tony's entire body tensed, but not in a pleasurable way. He'd told Ziva what E.J. had suggested to him when he'd taken the little break from his desk that day and he'd expected her to go Mossad ninja on their fellow agent. To his surprise, Ziva had laughed at the story. And laughed.

And laughed.

So Tony figured he should say nothing more. But his "Crazy day, huh?" question had been meant to bring it up again so that they could talk it out and he could make sure Ziva knew that in no WAY was he interested in E.J. Barrett or her overtures towards him. In fact, the come-on had wholly disgusted him. Even when he'd been single, he'd had one hard and fast rule of his own: He did NOT date married women. And he tried to not date women who had boyfriends or women who were engaged. Not knowingly, anyway. But he was dead set against seeing married women. Tony DiNozzo — well, the _old _Tony DiNozzo — was a lot of unsavory things back then but a homewrecker he was not. E.J. knew he was married, that he had two young children and another baby on the way. And she STILL wanted to have an affair with him? That was just... pathetic. It wasn't flattering.

"You did?" Tony gasped. Now his desire for Ziva was tempered somewhat by his disgust at hearing about E.J. again. Damn her, she'd made her way into their bedroom after all. It made him angry, that he (and Ziva) now had to even deal with this. He'd been friendly to E.J. like he would be to any agent who'd transferred in, that was all. And she'd gotten the wrong idea. Great.

"She will not be a problem for you — for either of us — again," Ziva said, her voice steady and calm.

"What did you _do_?" Tony asked. Maybe she had gone Mossad ninja on E.J. Naturally, he'd missed it, whatever had happened.

Ziva merely offered Tony an innocent look and said nothing. Tony's eyes met hers. He solemnly studied Ziva's lovely face.

"I'd never cheat on you," Tony whispered. His tone was wholly serious. "I love you, Ziva. I love being your husband. I only want _you_. Don't ever forget that. I'm crazy about you."

"I know that you would never stray, Tony," Ziva whispered back, just as seriously. "I trust you. And I love having you as my husband. I am happy now, as your wife. I love you. So much."

"You're amazing, y'know that?" Tony said huskily, sliding his hands up Ziva's hips. His fingers played at the band of her thin panties as his green eyes remained fixed on her face. "I love you in my Elvis Costello t-shirt."

Then, in a smooth, singular motion, Ziva pulled off the green shirt. It dropped silently to the floor beside the bed. Tony's eyes traveled down her body, marveling at how he knew her so well and yet still found her as irresistible and sexually intoxicating as he had the first time they'd made love.

Ziva moved down now, pressing against Tony as she pulled him into a long, deep kiss. Her tongue tasted his and he took her tightly in his arms, desperate to feel her skin on his skin, to become one with her...

Now Tony positioned Ziva beneath him, finally ready to take her completely as he'd wanted to all night. She stroked his shoulders, his back, awaiting him. Her lips parted.

"Tony..."

Ziva's voice was low, breathy.

"Unnnhhhh?"

Tony couldn't form words, only utterances. His heart pounded. He brought her hips to meet his, biting his lip.

"You have been... snacking again... mmm?"

"Mmmmhhhmmm..."

It was Tony's only defense before he began vigorously working off the afternoon's indulgences, suffering the sweetest pain and unique pleasure of doing penance for falling victim to the only temptation he could never, ever resist.


	196. Hot For Teacher

Title: Hot For Teacher  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Jealous Tony dislikes Sarah's teacher.

* * *

"But Mistuh ANFONY say..."

This was how Sarah now started nearly all of her sentences since she'd entered preschool and it annoyed another Anthony — namely, her father — to no end.

_- Sneak a snack with Daddy, Snugglepumpkin? No. Mister ANTHONY says snacking between meals isn't good for us._

_- Tell Mommy we won't eat yucky Eggplant Surprise and we demand pizza instead? No. Mister ANTHONY says we should try things at least once, even if we think we don't like them._

_- Prank call Unca Timmy and ask him if his refrigerator is running ... because he'd better go catch it quick? No. Mister ANTHONY says that's not nice and we should be nice to our friends._

Mister ANTHONY was cramping Tony's style. And who went by "Mister Anthony," anyway? Tony thought, scowling at the idea that Sarah had a new Tony in her life that wasn't her daddy or her Papa Pony or a fuzzy toy tiger. There was one Anthony too many in this equation and three Tonys for one little girl were plenty, Tony told himself. This new guy, well, he'd just have to...

"You did not forget that we are meeting Sarah's teacher tomorrow night, Tony?"

Ziva looked over at Tony from her side of the bed, momentarily putting down the sci-fi novel she'd borrowed from Tim. Tony snarled.

"Oh, no," Tony muttered, bitterness dripping from his voice. "Marked it on my calendar. Tea time with Mister ANTHONY. Not to be missed. Can't wait."

"I assume that Jealous Tony will be accompanying me to our parent-teacher conference," Ziva said matter-of-factly, sighing. "Please make sure that he showers for the event."

* * *

"Tony, I do not think tonight's meeting will be quite so formal... In fact, the notice says it is 'BYOB — Bring Your Old Blue-Jeans."

Ziva snickered at the little joke. Then she again turned to her husband, who continued dressing before the bedroom mirror.

"What do you think?" Tony asked, finishing the knot on a steel grey tie matched to a lime-colored dress shirt. The shirt accented the dress pants and suit jacket matching the tie.

"I think you are doing it over," Ziva said, sighing.

"Overdoing it," Tony corrected, rechecking the knot in his tie. He sniffed loudly, frowning as he ran his hands along the sides of his hair. He looked damn good, he had to admit. Wait'll you get a load of ME, Mister ANTHONY, Tony thought, narrowing his eyes at his reflection as he admired himself some more.

* * *

The lot of them, they were staring at him. He knew it. And he was GLAD. He'd dressed to kill; they'd dressed for a play date at the park. Well, this was no play date. This was an epic struggle between Daddy and The Anti-Daddy. Only one man was destined to come out the victor and he swore it would be him.

"Slobs," Tony sneered, sniffing manfully as he studied the other preschool dads with disdain. "Look at 'em in their jeans and golf shirts. Not an ounce of class to be found among 'em. Where is the the American male's sense of style, Ziva? Where is the understanding that if you LOOK good, you FEEL good? Where is the personal pride? Where is the...?"

"WHERE is the 'MOOD' button so that I can make YOU stop TALKING, Tony?"

Ziva wasn't joking. She was tired of Tony's yammering tonight. And his attitude. Also, she thought she looked fine in her own blue jeans.

"MUTE button," Tony shot back, wounded.

"Well, I would like to find THAT one, too, if it will give ME a minute's PEACE!"

With that, Ziva stalked off, heading in the direction of Sarah's classroom.

"FINE! YOU WANT PEACE AND QUIET? I'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE PEACE AND QUIET YOU CAN STAND, BABY!" Tony yelled after her. "I'LL JUST TALK TO MYSELF ALL NIGHT, THEN. THAT OKAY WITH YOU, LOVE OF MY LIFE? I HAPPEN TO LIKE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH ME, YOU GOT THAT, SWEET CHEEKS?"

The assembled parents, enjoying some coffee and cookies, gaped at Tony. He glanced at them, noting the shock on their faces, and straightened his tie.

"That decaf?" he asked, sniffing haughtily as he approached the little table.

* * *

Her laugh was unmistakable and it greeted him as he approached the door in the same manner he had whenever he'd gotten ready to burst in on a suspect. There wouldn't be any need to kick in this door, though; it was open, festooned with crepe paper and "MR. ANTHONY'S CLASS" over the entrance in brightly-colored letters. He snarled at the happiness of it all.

His baby girl was being taught that snacking and pranking with Daddy was bad. This would not stand.

Tony peeped around the door slyly, his green eyes widening in horror as he saw Ziva and the man who was insinuating himself into Sarah's life chatting comfortably and laughing as they studied a stack of thick project paper. Mr. Anthony would hand one of the papers to Ziva, point out what was interesting about it and together they would giggle. It infuriated Tony, seeing his wife getting so cozy with Mr. ANTHONY.

Straightening his tie, Tony popped into the doorway, forcing his brightest smile as he greeted his mortal enemy.

"Mr. Anthony? VERY Special Agent Tony DiNozzo — Sarah's FATHER," Tony said, cocking his head as he grinned at Ziva. She rolled her eyes and smirked back. Tony stuck out his hand towards Mr. Anthony, who stood up, smiled and gave Tony a handshake.

"Mr. DiNozzo! It's great to finally meet you. Sarah talks about you all the time in class," Mr. Anthony said, smiling.

"Of course she does," Tony replied arrogantly. "I'm her DADDY. Kid's crazy about me."

Ziva shot Tony a dirty look, which he ignored.

"TONY," Ziva interjected, hoping to keep Tony's mouth from getting them both into trouble, "I believe you should take a look at Sarah's artwork. Mr. Anthony is impressed with her drawings."

"Of course he is," Tony sniffed, not taking his eyes off his rival. "She's a genius. Kid's got talent beyond her years."

Tony took a seat beside Ziva, narrowing his eyes at Mr. Anthony, who regarded Tony as he would someone who might be less than stable. Ziva handed Tony a crayon scribble drawing of something with a long neck and huge spots.

"Do you see?" Ziva asked Tony. "It's Jenny Giraffe."

Tony frowned, turning the paper every which way.

"Huh?"

He was trying to discern anything that looked giraffe-ish about the scribbling but couldn't. Tony peered hard at the drawing. Ziva pointed out the spots and the neck.

"Oh... uh... yeah. Well, sure... SURE," Tony said, leaning back to more fully "take in" Sarah's art. "It's an abstract giraffe. Sarah sees things from a unique perspective. Creative kid. Gets it from MY side of the family."

Again, Ziva rolled her eyes and shook her head. Mr. Anthony only grinned politely.

"And this is one of my personal favorites," Mr. Anthony told Tony. He handed a large drawing of crazy orange and black stripes to Tony. There were huge triangles accenting one little area of the stripes. Tony looked confused for a moment but then a huge smile spread across his face.

"Tony The Tiger!" Tony chirped. "She loves to draw Tony The Tiger. We have pictures of him on our fridge, on Ziva's desk, on my desk, on our boss's desk. He's everywhere. Look at those teeth... Heh..."

"Funny..." Mr. Anthony said, winking at Ziva, "when I asked Sarah what the picture was supposed to be, she said it was her daddy."

Tony looked up from the picture, his green eyes wide with surprise. Ziva placed her hand tenderly on Tony's thigh. Tony swallowed hard.

"Me?" Tony said softly. "Wow..."

"All I hear all day in class is 'My daddy says...' this or that," Mr. Anthony chuckled. "She reminds me that your name is Tony all the time, too. It's really important to Sarah that I know Daddy is number one." He winked again at Ziva. "Well, next to Mommy. But that's kind of a given, right?"

"Sounds like it," Tony replied, blushing. He felt ashamed for having been so jealous.

"Whenever the kids draw," Mr. Anthony went on, "I ask them what they're drawing. Sarah always draws some kind of zoo animal and when I say 'That's a nice tiger' or 'What a cool giraffe,' she tells me 'No, that's Daddy' or 'That's Mommy' or it's someone else who she loves. She's exceptionally bright. And she really loves her family. It's great having her in class and whatever you two are doing at home that's made her so interested in reading and drawing and learning new things, well... I wish more parents would spend that kind of time with their kids. Sarah's great."

* * *

"Daddy?" Sarah said, clutching Tony's leg as he rooted around in the refrigerator, "Wet's hab... hab... a BWOWNIE, OK? We hab a SNACK, Daddy? Daddy? Pweease?"

She giggled, patting at Tony's knee. Daddy was always up for snacking. And there was one brownie left.

"I don't think so, Snugglepumpkin," Tony said solemnly. "Mr. Anthony says snacking between meals isn't really good for us, y'know. And Mr. Anthony, he's a pretty smart guy."


	197. Crestfallen

Title: Crestfallen  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Baby Jack isn't happy with change.

* * *

Amid the hustle and bustle that had been ongoing the previous couple of weeks, Baby Jack had only taken note of Boss Boss being around the house a lot more than usual. But he was happy about this because he liked Boss Boss. And Boss Boss had given him some new toys - a set of big, plastic tools.

Jack had a hammer and a drill and a saw and a wrench and a screwdriver. Boss Boss had tools, too, but his weren't all different colors like Jack's were. Also they were heavy and scary-looking. Jack's tools were fun to play with. It was nice when Boss Boss told Jack he needed him to go take what Jack had learned was the "hammer" and help work on something he was calling a word that Jack had never heard before.

What was a "nest," Jack wondered, in his own way, and why was his big sister Sarah so excited about it?

Jack's job was to work in a little corner of the nest while Daddy, Boss Boss and Uncle Timmy worked in the rest of it. Sarah's job was to help Mommy pack things down in the nursery. Sometimes Jack got to hammer away in the nursery when Boss Boss did special work in the nest. Boss Boss told Jack that he needed his special helper to make sure the nursery was in good shape. So Jack helped because he could tell it was important. Daddy was too tired to play sometimes but it was okay. Jack saw how hard Daddy worked on the nest.

One day, all the noise and visits from Boss Boss and Uncle Timmy stopped.

The nest was ready, Jack heard Daddy tell Sarah. Sarah clapped and jumped up and down, she was so happy. McFlea and Shep barked and wagged their tails.

Mommy picked Jack up and Daddy took him right away, reminding Mommy that she was having a baby and HE would do all the heavy lifting. Mommy laughed at Daddy so Jack laughed at Daddy, too. Daddy stuck his tongue out at Mommy and everybody laughed. Sarah and the dogs had already raced up something new in the house - a little set of stairs leading to the nest - that Boss Boss had built with his big tools. Daddy climbed up the steps with Jack, settling him down on the floor, and then he helped Mommy up the little stairway.

"JACK JACK!" Sarah squeaked with glee. "IT MY NEST! WOOK!"

Jack looked around and saw that Sarah's big bed had somehow made its way up into this nest. So had her little bookcase. And the tiny dresser Mommy put her clothes in. The elephant nightlight smiled at Jack and the Zoo looked cozy, propped up against the bed pillows. And McFlea was settled into a new dog bed. The nest looked a lot like the nursery, but it wasn't the nursery. It wasn't the room Jack and Sarah played in every day and slept in every night.

His crib wasn't in the nest. His crib was in the nursery.

It took a minute but at last Jack understood.

Now Sarah would sleep in the nest, not in the nursery.

He would sleep in the nursery by himself - without his big sister to protect him.

Nothing stopped his sobbing, not Shep and McFlea sniffing and licking at him or Sarah's telling him that he could sleep in the nest whenever he wanted or Daddy and Mommy saying he was such a BIG boy now and he'd still have Shep to look out for him because Shep would be sleeping right next to him and that Boss Boss had left a big surprise for him in the nursery and he shouldn't cry because Mommy and Daddy were right across the hall and Papa Pony was next door and NOBODY would let him be lonely or scared at night.

None of it mattered because Sarah and McFlea wouldn't be there anymore. And Jack liked having Sarah and McFlea around all the time, not just some of the time. He really liked having them around at night when it was dark. Sarah wasn't scared of the dark. But Jack was, even though he pretended he wasn't.

And who would tell him it was okay when the hungry lions chased him and he was too hot at night and he only got away from the lions when Sarah saved him? The lions always disappeared when they heard her voice saying, "It a DWEAM, Jack Jack! You OKAY! You not cwy no more." Then Mommy or Daddy or Papa Pony would put him in Sarah's big bed and the lions didn't come back. Then he was happy again and he played with monkeys in the trees until the dark was gone and the light came back. Jack liked to pretend he was a lion when it was light outside but when they chased him in the dark, he was scared of them. Sarah wasn't afraid of lions because she was a tiger and the lions were afraid of HER.

Now Sarah looked sad, too, and Jack saw through his tears that she was starting to cry. Mommy gave her a hug and asked what was the matter and Sarah said she didn't want a nest if it made Jack Jack cry.

So Daddy, who was already hugging Jack, picked him up and told Sarah that while she and Mommy had a little talk, he and Jack Jack were going to go to the nursery and see the big surprise Boss Boss had made just for Jack. Sarah sniffled and nodded; she knew what the surprise was.

Jack didn't care about a surprise. He cried more when Daddy carried him downstairs out of the nest and back to the nursery, with Shep trotting along.

"Jack?" Daddy said softly, rubbing the back of Jack's head. Jack felt awful; he couldn't stop crying. "Look, buddy... Look what Boss Boss made just for you. C'mon, baby... It's okay..."

Jack was tired from so much crying but he lifted his head and saw that Sarah's big bed was back in the nursery. But his toys were propped up on the pillows. And his crib was gone. It had been taken apart and neatly placed in a corner so that it could be reassembled later. Shep now had the comfy old dog bed all to himself and he plopped down in it, wagging his tail.

"Sawah bed," Jack sniffled.

"No, buddy," Daddy said, giving Jack a little kiss on his forehead as he gently wiped the tears from his boy's cheeks, "it's YOUR bed. Boss Boss made it for you. You're a big boy so you need a big boy bed. When the baby comes, we'll put the baby in your old crib and you can protect him or her. Sound OK? Huh? You and Shep have gotta make sure the new baby isn't ever scared."

Jack wiped at his eyes and sniffled, sighing.

"I... I... fwaid," he told his Daddy, hugging Daddy's neck.

"I know," Daddy said. "It's scary when you get a big bed and you're not a little baby anymore, isn't it, buddy?"

Jack nodded.

"You want Daddy to sleep in here with you tonight? Just to help you get used to your big new bed?"

Jack nodded again.

"Think you'll be okay after that?"

Jack shook his head "no."

"Well, we'll have to work on that, huh?" Daddy asked. Jack nodded "yes."

Jack looked again at his new big bed. It looked warm and cozy, like Sarah's big bed had always been. He was sleepy now and he yawned.

"Wanna take a nap with Daddy in the big bed?"

Jack nodded that he did and he found that, snuggled next to Daddy, he really liked his big bed. It was a little too tall for the hungry lions to reach but the monkeys already loved to play in it.


	198. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby

Title: Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva's pregnant, which naturally means that Tony's hovering.

* * *

_Finally, luxuriantly, she relaxed._

_She put her feet up on the sofa, resting her head against a throw pillow, and dared to close her eyes. She opened them after only a few seconds, certain she was being watched, but when she saw that she was, in fact, alone, she grinned and closed her eyes again, this time to indulge in a long nap._

_He would find her here soon enough._

_But right now, she had time for a quick nap._

_And she would be happy to see him._

* * *

"NO, Tony, I do NOT want more EGGS!" Ziva snapped, trying for the third time to escape from the breakfast table.

Senior, Jack and Sarah had already left for a day at the park with the dogs. Ziva had intended to join them — until Tony got involved.

"But you need your protein, my bride," Tony countered, cracking two more eggs into his frying pan. He worked at scrambling them, whistling a happy little tune. Ziva dropped her head into her hands, frustrated.

"Tony," she began, trying desperately to keep from losing her temper, "I am NOT hungry. I have already had oatmeal, two glasses of milk, a bowl of mixed berries and THREE eggs this morning!"

"Just whettin' your appetite," Tony chirped, replacing Ziva's plate before her. A little yellow pile of fresh, hot scrambled eggs greeted her.

"I ... am NOT ... HUNGRY!" Ziva barked, rising angrily from the table. Narrowing her brown eyes at Tony, she pushed past him as he stood at the stove.

"SO YOU DON'T WANT THESE SCONES?" Tony called after her, grimacing at the sound of the bedroom door slamming behind Ziva.

* * *

With the children away, Mommy could play.

It had been a while since Ziva enjoyed a long, hot bubble bath. And now that she'd picked up a new romance novel at the supermarket, a quiet afternoon was the perfect time to relax in the tub with frothy bubbles and steamy prose.

The story itself wasn't exceptionally complex: A dashing pirate had kidnapped a fair-haired maiden. She had, so far, resisted his advances but Ziva was sure that one more hot, tropical night would sway the regal princess into the pirate's lair for an evening of...

"What'cha readin'?"

Tony, fresh from having mowed the lawn, barged into the bathroom. Taking a seat on the toilet, he flashed Ziva a dazzling grin as he stared down at her in the bubble bath. Normally, she'd have been happy to see him but this day, she felt as if he was giving her no privacy.

"You are filthy," Ziva noted. And Tony was. He was sweaty and dirt-streaked and reeked from not having showered. Hearing this, Tony took a quick sniff at his right armpit and gagged.

"Heh... heh... Yeah, I am," Tony laughed. "Phew, I STINK, Sweet Cheeks!"

He pulled off his grimy t-shirt.

"Make room for Daddy," he said, sticking out his tongue as he began unzipping his khaki shorts.

"Do NOT get NEAR this bath!" Ziva commanded.

"Huh?" Tony said, now wearing only his boxer briefs.

"This is MY bath!" Ziva said defensively. "MINE and MINE alone! YOU will NOT dirty up this TUB, Tony!"

Tony's smile faded into a confused look. Then he just stared sadly at the floor, downcast.

"Oh... sorry. I'll leave you alone. My mistake, thinking you wanted to spend time with me," Tony said quietly. Gathering his clothes, he slowly left the bathroom.

Ziva sighed, closing her eyes. Why was she in such a horrible mood today? And why was Tony's attention bothering her so much? He always hovered when she was pregnant, so she shouldn't be surprised that he was doing it now.

_I will apologize,_Ziva told herself. She unstoppered the bathtub and watched dolefully as the water and bubbles receded. Suddenly, the adventures of the pirate and his maiden weren't that interesting. There was drama unfolding in her own home to resolve.

When she'd dried off, she tip-toed into the bathroom off the master bedroom. But she didn't hear Tony showering. Opening the bathroom door, she saw that Tony wasn't there. He'd never gotten in the shower. Ziva called for him throughout the house but he didn't answer. At last, she looked out at the driveway and saw that his Mustang was gone.

Tony, true to his word, had indeed left her alone.

And she felt as lonely as she had in a long time.

* * *

"You ever get that way? When your wife was..."

"Shannon."

"Oh... Uh... Okay... When Shannon was..."

"Nope."

"Never? You never felt like you oughta treat her special or make sure she was eating right or gettin' enough sleep or..."

"Shannon took care of it."

"But you didn't..."

"She said I had my job to do and she had her job to do. That's what we did."

"Well, I want to make sure that Ziva's taking care of herself and..."

"Let her come to you, DiNozzo."

"See, that's the thing, Boss. She acts like she's just fine but I know that, really, she..."

"Let her BE, DiNozzo. When she wants ya, she'll let ya know."

Tony sighed, watching Gibbs expertly whittle down a wooden peg for a small boat he was handcrafting. Somehow, Tony knew that if he were the one holding the sharp whittling tool, he'd be getting stitches at the ER. Gibbs could do anything, Tony thought, and he himself was lousy at the things he tried. Even this talk about being a father — Gibbs had been able to just let Shannon do her thing and stay out of her way. And here HE was, making Ziva crazy with too much attention. Maybe he was weak. Ziva was the strong one in their relationship. Why had she picked him, anyway? He did wonder...

"Boss?"

"Yup?"

"How will I know? When she wants me?"

"Ya just will, DiNozzo."

* * *

Tony slowly made his way upstairs to Gibbs' kitchen. Gibbs himself rarely used it but there were always steaks available for grilling in the fireplace and Tony had volunteered to cook up some Cowboy Steaks for the both of them. Also to bring the Boss a cold beer.

_Get one for yourself, DiNozzo,_ Tony thought, snickering at the little joke Gibbs had made when Tony started up the stairs. _Funny, Boss... Heh heh..._

He stopped short of the kitchen, sensing her presence before he ever saw her.

Tony always knew when Ziva was in a room, although he'd never quite figured out when she was about to sneak up behind him. But since they'd gotten married, he'd attained a strange sixth sense as to where she was in their house. If the kids asked Daddy where Mommy was, Tony could usually peg Ziva's location without having actually seen her. He just knew her that well now.

Fading sunlight cast a dark amber light across Ziva as she lay on Gibbs' living room couch, causing Tony to imagine his wife as one of the old time film actresses from the '30s and '40s movies he so loved. The serene light softened Ziva's features. She looked wholly at peace, her eyes closed and a tender grin playing at her mouth. Tony couldn't stop staring. She was so beautiful... and in a few months, she would have another baby with him. He only wanted Ziva and the baby to be safe and healthy and comfortable. But maybe he pressed too hard. Maybe he wasn't giving her space. Maybe she needed him to...

"Tony..."

Ziva, having opened her eyes, stared back at Tony as he stood in the entryway to the living room. He grinned sheepishly and joined her on the sofa, taking a seat at the end of the couch as he propped her feet up on his lap, caressing her calves.

"I knew you would find me here," Ziva murmured.

"Can't live without you," Tony replied quietly. He offered Ziva a little smile. She smiled back.

"I missed you," Ziva said.

"I'm sorry I was all over you today," Tony began.

"It is okay," Ziva assured him. "I know that you love me. That is why you protect me."

"I do love you," Tony told Ziva. "But I should give you a little space sometimes."

"We will figure it out," Ziva said.

"Yeah," Tony agreed.

"Not too much space," Ziva said.

"Couldn't if I tried," Tony admitted.

* * *

Whittling down another little wooden peg, Gibbs knew what was taking Tony so long upstairs. And he didn't care. He'd known how this sort of thing always worked out. After all, he'd been there, too.

_"Gibbs, you promised you weren't going to work yourself to death on this," Shannon said, giving the young Marine one of her patented stares that pored right into his soul. _

_"I know, but... we're havin' a baby," Gibbs replied, shrugging. He smiled shyly. He knew he'd been spending too much time at the wood shop on the Marine base but it was worth it._

_"Sometimes I just don't understand you, Leroy Jethro," Shannon said, shaking her head. She pushed her long, red hair back and, taking a long look at the item before her, had to chuckle._

_"You like it?" Gibbs asked. He wanted her to like it. He wanted Shannon to like everything he did. Most of the time, she approved. And on the rare occasions she didn't, he took notes and learned from his mistakes._

_Shannon gave Gibbs a sweet little hug as best she could. Now five months pregnant, she wasn't able to bear-hug him like usual; her little belly got in the way._

_"I love it," she told Gibbs, planting a tender kiss on his lips._

_"Not my best work," Gibbs said, frowning. "I oughta go back and plane the rockers so they'll really be smooth and..."_

_"It's fine, Gibbs," Shannon told him. _

_"If you say so," Gibbs sighed. He still wasn't happy with the result. But if Shannon was..._

_"Tell you what," Shannon said. "You go plane the rockers at the shop while I fix dinner. By the time you get home and I have the Cowboy Steaks ready, you'll get that chair rocking really smooth."_

_"Yep," Gibbs said. "Sure you don't need any help with dinner?"_

_"You go do your job and I'll do mine."_

_Later, when she tested out the handmade wooden rocking chair, Shannon couldn't say she was surprised at how smoothly it rocked back and forth. Because that was how Gibbs worked. And Gibbs had to admit the steaks were perfectly cooked, which wasn't anything particularly new. _

_That was just Shannon's way. _


	199. No Particular Place To Go

Title: No Particular Place To Go  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva take a little drive. But Ziva thinks of another man.

* * *

Ziva loved watching Tony at the wheel of his Mustang.

He looked every inch of what her idea of an American man should be — this idea being what she'd imagined when she was a girl and, later, a teenager back in Israel. Even then, she'd had to sneak looks at Ari's stash of motorcycle and hot rod magazines from America and the men in them generally resembled Tony as he was dressed at this moment: faded t-shirt, well-worn Levi's, a thick brown belt with the cycle or auto emblem they were partial to (Tony's bore, naturally, the Ford Mustang logo) and some kind of broken-in leather driving boots.

And then there were the sunglasses. Always, the sunglasses. Tony's were mirrored. Like the men who proudly showed off their cycles and cars or who graced the numerous advertisements for the various American colognes or clothing companies in Ari's old magazines, Tony hadn't shaved — since Friday morning. It was Sunday now and a prickly stubble covered the area above his lips, his cheeks, chin and the area of his neck just under his jaw line. Ziva found Tony irresistible when he didn't shave. His fuzziness only endeared him to her that much more.

Ari had teased her relentlessly about her "obsession" with his American magazines. And, as he never failed to emphasize, the Americans in them.

_"The American men, Ziva? You think they are attractive?"_

She hated it when Ari teased her. Also when he knew he was absolutely right. He had always been able to read her like nobody could. Until Tony came along. But that had been much later. Ari sensed Ziva's longing to someday go to America and find one of these t-shirt and Levi's-wearing Americans for herself. It disgusted him to think that he agreed with his father that this, Ziva must never be allowed to do. And yet he told himself that he would make certain his sister was never touched by some American man who only wanted... well, frankly, who only wanted the same thing from women that he wanted. But he was a young man. Soon, Ziva would be a woman. The rules were different. She would just have to understand. And obey.

_"And if I do?"_

Ari had laughed at her, that mocking laugh of his that infuriated so many women — women, she knew, who were at once somehow repulsed by and yet strangely attracted to Ari. To Ziva, it merely signaled one more challenge from her older brother. He enjoyed these little games, always eager to see if he could anger her. But he never could. She would not allow it. It was odd, Ziva thought, how he spent his life seeking out a woman somewhat like her, a strong woman who would meet his arrogance with arrogance of her own. Ziva remembered hearing, in a secondhand way, about Kate Todd and how this NCIS agent was, their father said, going to be the woman who brought about Ari's ultimate end. Still, Ziva hadn't paid much attention to the talk. She'd believed that Ari was still working for Mossad back then. Maybe this Agent Todd was working with him, she'd told herself. But then she'd become engaged in another Mossad mission and while Ari was in her thoughts, she had work of her own to carry out. It consumed all of her time. This made her father happy and so, she told herself back then, she was happy.

She might have heard Tony's name mentioned in passing then, too, but she couldn't recall. It had been a long time ago. Or at least it seemed that way now.

Her life today was much different, much happier.

Yet she did miss Ari. She wished he would have... chosen another path.

Perhaps he would still be alive. As would Agent Todd. Ari would know Sarah and Jack and the new baby. And Kate, who had been Tony's good friend, would as well.

She would not have to think of Ari as she was now forced to remember him.

She would not have had to...

"Penny for your thoughts, my ninja," Tony said softly, placing his hand on Ziva's thigh.

Ziva sighed almost imperceptibly and stared into the rearview mirror. She noted how her own reflection was freakishly distorted in the glass.

"You okay, Ziva?"

On the lonely two-lane road, Tony had occasion to remove his sunglasses and take a glance over at his wife. She looked forlorn, her brown eyes taking in everything and nothing of the countryside rushing by. Slowly and with care, Tony pulled the Mustang off to the side of the road, shutting off the engine. All was quiet.

"Hey, let's take a little walk, hm?"

Bringing his hand up, Tony pushed Ziva's long, dark hair back, getting her attention at last. She flinched, but only slightly. The sight of Tony's green eyes warmly greeting her settled Ziva's mind somewhat. Tony got out of the car, came to Ziva's side, opened the door for her and helped her out of the car. Taking her hand in his, he gingerly walked with Ziva a little way towards a stand of trees. Once there, Tony cleared an area for the two of them to sit and they relaxed in the shade.

"Nice out here, huh?"

Tony once again took Ziva's hand in his. He wanted to get closer to her but sensed that he should hold off. Ziva was much quieter than usual right now. Something was bothering her.

"Yes, it is," Ziva said softly. "It is a lovely day for a drive. Everything is so... green." She sought a better word. "Alive."

"Spring has sprung," Tony chirped, trying to lighten the mood. Noting a buttercup nearby, he leaned over, picked it and sniffed it before gently bringing it to Ziva's nose. "For you, my buttercup."

"Thank you," Ziva whispered, taking the little flower from Tony. It was a vibrant yellow, bright against the green of the grass surrounding them.

"Rub it here," Tony said, sticking his chin out towards Ziva. "Put some color back in my palette."

Ziva stared at Tony, a shy smile playing at her lips. Tony winked at her.

"C'mon, Sweet Cheeks," Tony teased tenderly. "Butter me up."

Ziva leaned in close to Tony, gently rubbing the little buttercup against his chin. Soon Tony's stubble mixed with the flower's yellow residue. She hadn't really felt like giggling, but she couldn't help herself. Tony could be so silly.

"Your turn," Tony said, taking the flower. He painted a little yellow mustache above Ziva's lips and when he finished, she laughed out loud. "I could give you a Fu Manchu," Tony joked, grinning boyishly. "My little grasshopper."

Ziva brought her newly-colored lips to Tony's, kissing him tenderly but deeply. She wanted him to know just how much she truly loved him. He pulled her to him, gently, and held her in his arms as he lay on his back. Ziva nestled her head against Tony's chest, closing her eyes, listening to nothing but the sounds of the countryside around them along with Tony's strong, steady heartbeat. The rise and fall of his chest as he breathed quietly began to lull Ziva to sleep.

"Tony?"

Ziva felt safe again in Tony's embrace. He had always made her feel safe, as if she shouldn't worry about the nightmares from her past that still wished to sometimes haunt her. Now she realized that, for today at least, losing herself in the memory of Ari, his betrayal of their father, of her, the way he'd murdered Agent Todd, who might have loved her brother if circumstances and fate had only been different — and of the decision she'd had to make... It wasn't worth the pain, none of it. And being with Tony — she loved their time together. She loved him. More than he would ever know.

"Yeah, Ziva?"

Tony had to admit to himself that, with Ziva, sometimes it wasn't all about the sex. When it was about the sex, the sex was amazing and he couldn't get enough. But there were lots of times when he was content to simply be there for her, hold her, kiss her, comfort her. This was what separated Ziva from the other women he'd known in his life. He cared for her; he was in love with her. Seeing Ziva in pain of any kind hurt Tony in ways he couldn't explain. He would do anything for her.

"Exactly where... are we?"

A little afternoon breeze rustled the tree leaves. In the distance, songbirds called out to one another. Tony sighed contentedly.

"Beats me."

Ziva relaxed, closing her eyes. Before long, she and Tony were both dozing in the shade, the tiny buttercup fluttering ever so slightly just before a little breeze lifted it from Ziva's loose grasp, carrying it away on the warm wind of spring.


	200. Satisfied

Title: Satisfied  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Despite his best efforts, Tony falls prey to one lady's desires.

* * *

He thought he'd be safe from her there, in his own garage, working on his Mustang late at night.

She'd pestered him all week and he'd had enough of it all, frankly. Now he was just ready for it all to end somehow, some way. After all, he'd told her "no" time and time again and he'd meant it. She meant nothing to him, nothing at all. And, he thought, she'd better get that straight — fast.

But she wasn't hearing him, obviously, because she'd followed him everywhere.

She meant to get exactly what she wanted from him.

He knew that she wasn't the type to give up.

Now, however, as he lay beneath his beloved car, tightening this and oiling that, Tony had the unnerving sense that she was watching him, waiting for her chance to pounce. His heart began to pound. He could tell her "no" again. But what good would it do? She had found him — again!

There was no escaping her, not even at work. She'd been waiting for him at his desk that day earlier in the week when he returned from the break room after getting a snack. The way she'd just sat there, in his chair, staring at him... It sent chills down his spine. She wasn't supposed to even BE there. She'd been TOLD about not ...

"AAAAAGGGGGHHHH!"

Tony nearly knocked himself unconscious when she surprised him, peering at him where he lay under the car. The cold cement flooring didn't bother her. Nor did the oil and dirt. She was too focused on him to care about any of that.

"What are you DOING here? Leave me ALONE!"

She only continued staring at him, giving Tony that look she always gave him when she wanted... what she wanted from him. He pushed his way out from under the car, snarling down at her as he wiped his hands with a shop rag.

"Now, LISTEN! I already TOLD you I'm NOT gonna DO it! Ya HEAR me? NOT... DOING... IT!"

She watched him intently, silently, her eyes never leaving him.

Tony sat, resting his head against the side of the car. He would not look at her, no matter how long she stared him down.

"I have told you time and time AGAIN... There is NO way I am EVER gonna... TOUCH you... like that, OK? So DROP it! You 'n' me? Ain't gonna happen, honey..."

She reached for Tony, stroking his forearm. He snarled at her.

"You think I'm THAT easy, baby? Think again!"

She moved closer to him, snuggling against his side. Tony buried his head in his hands.

"Why? WHY?" he groaned. "WHY must you TORTURE me? WHY won't you take 'NO' for an answer?"

Now she wormed her way right into Tony's lap, stroking his chest. He sighed, realizing that he wouldn't be able to resist her any longer.

She'd worn him down. He'd thought he was a strong man, capable of turning down the demands of any female not named Ziva or Sarah, and here he was about to succumb to this lady's wiles. _Oh, you're weak, Anthony, weak,_ Tony told himself.

"Nobody... and I mean NOBODY... ever finds out about THIS," Tony hissed to her as she stroked his chin. "About... US. And Ziva? She must NEVER know, you understand me?"

She nuzzled his neck, her way of letting him know that, yes, she fully understood. What was about to happen in the garage between the two of them would forever remain their secret.

Tony peered around, making certain nobody else was watching. He positioned his female visitor upon his lap and, once she was right where she desired to be, Tony sighed and mentally steeled himself for what he was about to do. He'd feel guilty about it in the morning but... well... maybe just this once... it might not be so bad.

Actually, it might feel so good... if he relaxed and let himself just enjoy the pleasure of her company. Just this once.

She eyed him eagerly, anticipating that which only he could give her. It would be special, coming from him, because she knew he hated the fact that, deep down, he really did care about her — even though he always said he didn't. She knew he loved Ziva and Sarah. But he loved her, too. He had since the day he'd laid eyes on her, even if it embarrassed him to show it.

Tonight, she would get the affection she craved from Tony. She would revel in it. And she knew that, although he would never admit it, he would love their time together.

"Let's get this over with," Tony whispered, bringing his hands up to her face.

He pulled her toward him, gently.

"Who's a GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD KittyKate, hm? Who's Tony's PRETTTTTTTTTY KITTTTTTY?" Tony cooed, giving KittyKate little kisses all over the top of her head as she purred with joy, flicking her tail while she pawed at his cheek. "YOU are! Yes, you ARE! Yes, you AAAAAARE! Where's a kiss for Daddy? Where's a kiss for DAAAAAAAAAAAADDY? Awwwwwwwwwwww..."

Leaning in the doorway to the garage, Ziva could see all the action. But Tony couldn't see her. She rolled her eyes at Tony's sappy display. Now he was tickling KittyKate's tummy, giggling and saying "Kitty likey? Yeeeeeahhhhh... heh... heh... Kitty LIKEY!"

_Well, she does have a thing for hounds,_ Ziva thought, smirking.


	201. Questioningly

Title: Questioningly  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Ziva wants to know what makes Tony so great in bed.

* * *

Tony held Ziva in his arms, pushing her hair back from her face. He felt wholly relaxed, having made love with her. It hadn't been planned; it had just happened when he gave her a goodnight kiss. One kiss turned into another. And another. And then things got intimate.

"How did you become so... talented... at this, Tony?"

Ziva stroked Tony's chest lazily, too exhausted to do anything else.

"You know how," Tony replied softly.

"I know you were with many women before me," Ziva said, "but some men find themselves in ... many beds ... and they do not ... master the art of satisfying a woman. You have."

Tony took a deep breath. He wasn't really keen on the idea of discussing his past sexual experiences with Ziva. He enjoyed their lovemaking and it was all he thought about anymore. He never thought about the other women he'd been with. Ziva was the only woman on Tony's mind.

"We really gonna talk about this, Ziva? Now?"

Ziva propped herself up so that she could study Tony more closely in the moonlight.

"I am not asking for details. I only want to know when you learned how to ... do what it is that you are always able to ... do... to me. It intrigues me, that you are the only man who has ever known how to ... do that."

Tony turned on his side. Facing Ziva, he gazed into her dark eyes solemnly. His green eyes were tender, as was his touch when he caressed her cheek with his thumb.

"I'll tell you," Tony said quietly, "but you won't believe me."

"I will," Ziva assured him.

"Don't think so," Tony sighed.

"If I tell you I will," Ziva told Tony, "I will."

Tony stared down at her.

"I was never able to ... do that ... before I was with you," Tony admitted. "It never happened before. I ... uh ... I couldn't ... bring myself to do it to any other woman."

Ziva eyed Tony suspiciously, but she did believe him.

"Nobody ever asked you to...?"

"Only you, Sweet Cheeks," Tony whispered. "And you know what? I loved it. Loved it the first time you let me do it to you and I've loved it every time you've asked me to do it. Makes me feel like a man whenever I get to... you know..."

"Well, I am glad that ... it makes you happy," Ziva purred, leaning over to kiss Tony.

"Pleasing you pleases me," Tony said huskily.

"Likewise," Ziva answered, stroking his chest hair.

"Let's do it right now," Tony suggested.

"Again?" Ziva asked, amused. "Tony, are you sure?"

"Hey, I'm a man. I can handle takin' care of you," Tony growled, winking. "You just lie back and relax. Let me do all the work, hm?"

Ziva did as Tony said, sighing with pleasure as his hands caressed her in the way that only he could — in the area that only he knew she desired his special touch. Tony smiled down at her as his hands worked their magic, stroking and rubbing. His thumbs pressed against Ziva, forcing intimate moans from her lips. Finally, when she couldn't stand the sensation any longer, Ziva called out Tony's name and he knew that, as he always did, he'd satisfied her completely. And he, too, felt total release when she'd relaxed under his hand.

When it was over, Tony lay beside Ziva, grinning down at her as she groaned softly.

"Was it good for you, my ninja?"

"It is always good for me, my love."

"Mmmmm... Two times. In one night. Either I'm gettin' better at it or you just can't get enough of it."

"Well, you are getting better at it," Ziva agreed, winking at Tony, "but I think that I might have pulled my calf muscle when I lapped you at the park this afternoon."

Tony frowned, remembering their jog earlier that day. But then the more recent memory of his hands massaging Ziva's calves — and her reaction — gave him reason to smile again. He did love rubbing down her strong calf muscles. It was special. Their little "thing."

"Yeah, maybe," Tony chuckled. "We gotta go jogging more often."


	202. Good Year For The Roses

Title: Good Year For The Roses  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Senior helps Ziva with gardening and talks about Tony's mother.

* * *

"And your friend in New York? She is doing well?"

Ziva eyed Senior playfully from her side of the rose bush. The older man met her probing gaze with one that suggested she was onto something.

"She's fabulous," Senior said, in his usual, smooth tone. A little self-satisfied grin played at the corners of his mouth. Ziva, too, had to smile.

"When will we meet her? Tony says he would like to get to know his... future ex-mother-in-law."

Ziva rolled her eyes at Senior, indicating that she knew Tony was being flip and she didn't feel Senior's relationship was going to turn out like all his others. Senior merely grinned again.

"That's my boy," he said, snipping a tendril that was growing too close to another.

"You know he is only trying to steal your goat," Ziva reassured Senior.

Senior eyed her quizzically, but chuckled and went on with his part of the pruning.

"He's been stealing my goats since he was old enough to talk," Senior told Ziva. "And he was talking BEFORE he was old enough to talk. There's never been any shutting that kid up since he popped out onto the delivery table at the hospital. Why... I remember the nurses bringing him all bundled up to his mother and me and bragging that Junior had the strongest MOUTH of any baby in the nursery. That boy talked in his sleep as a newborn baby! Can you believe it?"

"Yes," Ziva sighed, shaking her head all-too-knowingly, "I can."

"Well, that's just Junior," Senior said, grinning again. "Loves the sound of his own voice."

Ziva glanced up at Senior, raising an eyebrow at this comment. She had to force herself to keep from snickering. Senior glanced back at her.

"He gets it honestly," Senior admitted. They both smiled.

"What was Tony like as a boy?" Ziva asked, taking a second to sniff one of her roses. They were blooming magnificently this spring.

"Good," Senior replied softly. "Junior was a good boy. Always. Never any trouble with him. Loved his mother. And me."

"He never talks much about her," Ziva said, trying not to press but still wanting to know something about Tony's mother, who he rarely mentioned.

"She died when he was little," Senior said. Now his sparkling grin was replaced by a downcast look. "Oh, I won't say my wife wasn't... eccentric. She... ah..."

He took a minute, searching for the correct words, finally sighing before he spoke again.

"Tony's mother loved him, Ziva. So much. She just... she had some... emotional frailties... that were difficult to handle at times." Quickly, Senior added, "You have to understand that back then, in the '70s... when someone was ... struggling... You see, it simply wasn't quite so easy to get them... care... that they needed. And I wasn't... I wasn't a wealthy man. She had money... Well, her family did... But she wouldn't dare ask them... She wouldn't let ME ask..."

Senior now stared at a lush red rose. He stood just a foot or so away from Ziva but appeared to be lost in memories and times that she could never experience or understand. And she wished she'd never asked about Tony's mother.

"I am sorry," Ziva whispered.

Senior looked up, brushed away a tear and found one of his most dazzling smiles just for her.

"Oh, no! No, Ziva! Don't be sorry, darling. My wife was a wonderful woman. The only woman I ever loved, you know. I think..." He paused again, sighing. "I think that Junior... knew... his mother had some difficulties, even when he was a small boy. And he went along with them because... well... because she was his mother and he loved her. She loved Tony so much, Ziva. SO much. She adored our son. I did, too. But I was too caught up in trying to make myself a success to take enough time with him. And I've paid for that. I regret the time I've missed with Junior. He needed me when his mother died and I shut down. Lost myself in the bottle. I sent Tony to boarding school with the money that my wife left us because at that time in my life I wasn't in shape to take care of him."

Now Senior's index finger tenderly touched the bright red rose.

"I wanted to take care of Tony," Senior said quietly, "but I couldn't. I missed him terribly. It's horrible, being a father and feeling that you have no choice but to... raise your child in a way you'd never thought you'd have to. Alone... Or from a distance. And what's hardest is that I know I'll never be able to make it up to Junior. Not really."

Ziva came to where Senior stood and embraced him.

"That is NOT true, Anthony," she said, hugging the older man tightly. "You ARE making Tony happy, being here with us. And I am happy you are here. So are the children. They love you. It is important for them to have... one of their grandparents around. We are your family and we will always take care of you. We love you."

Senior hugged Ziva back in a fatherly manner.

"My son is a lucky man, indeed," he said smoothly, trying to hide how deeply Ziva's words had touched him. "I love being here with you and Junior and the babies. AND the boys. THEY certainly are happy to see me whenever I come back from New York with some treats for them, hm?"

Ziva laughed.

"You have spoiled McFlea and Shep beyond repair," Ziva chuckled.

"Which drives Junior up the wall," Senior joked.

"So of course you will continue," Ziva replied, winking.

"Well, what choice has Junior given me?"

Senior winked back at Ziva. They returned to their pruning.

"Anthony?" Ziva began, "May I ask just one more question?"

"Anything your heart desires, love," Senior said cheerfully.

"How is it possible to DRIVE someone up a wall?"

Senior's green eyes — the same green eyes that Tony and Baby Jack shared — met Ziva's, melting her heart in the same way that a look from her husband and young son always did. The boyish grin crossing his face was also Tony's. And Jack's.

"Stick with my boy long enough, baby, and believe me... you'll find out."

Ziva smiled at this. Then she politely excused herself, leaving Senior to continue his work with the roses, as she headed into the house. There was something she'd been meaning to do but she'd been finding reasons to avoid it. Now, she knew, she should cherish this. It wasn't a task or chore; it was natural and good.

Her fingers pressed familiar buttons on her cellphone. Her heart raced a bit, hearing the ringing on the other end. Yet when she spoke, she felt a warmth and calmness come over her. This was how it should be.

"Father?"


	203. Watching The Detectives

Title: Watching The Detectives  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Meta-NCIS? Tony critiques TV detectives.

* * *

While Sarah snuggled with Senior in Tony's recliner, the man of the house and Baby Jack relaxed on the sofa with Ziva. Tony, who'd had a particularly tough day at the office, was indulging in a guilty pleasure. But nobody else in the living room was feeling much joy.

Tony's weekly critique of TV detective shows had begun in earnest.

"THAT'S not real! Aw, C'MON!" Tony sneered, taking note of a well-coiffed actor strutting through a crime scene in a fancy suit. "You'd NEVER do that at a REAL crime scene! Who WRITES these things?"

Senior rolled his eyes. The show had been on all of two minutes and his son was already running off at the mouth uncontrollably. But the older man was used to this.

"Ah... Junior?" Senior began, "Maybe we could get through the opening credits before you dissect each continuity error?"

Ziva snickered. Tony snarled at his father, moving Baby Jack to a better TV viewing position on his lap. But Baby Jack wanted to stand, not sit, and he resisted, ultimately ending up hanging over the back of Tony's shoulder so that he couldn't see TV. Jack liked this, though, so Tony allowed it although it wasn't necessarily comfortable for him. Jack watched the squirrels playing outside the front window.

"All I'm saying, DAD," Tony hissed, "is that these TV shows make those of us like Zee-vah and yours truly look like all we do all day is sit around at our desks and joke and snack and worry about how we're dressed. None of that is true." He sniffed manfully, accenting his point.

"What did YOU do at work today, Tony?" Ziva asked. She knew the answer but wanted to hear Tony's response. A wry grin tugged at her lips.

Tony shot her a dirty look. Baby Jack, excited by a squirrel fight, started moving his feet hurriedly. Tony quickly moved to protect some of his most valuable assets.

"Well, you were THERE, Sweet Cheeks," Tony shot back, narrowing his eyes at Ziva. "You saw me. I WORKED."

"HAH!" Ziva countered, chuckling. "YOU sat around AT your desk, MAKING FUN of MahGee's haircut! THEN you went to the break room and got ONE snack! After THAT, you returned and spent THIRTY-SEVEN MINUTES searching for sales online at Ties-R-Us! THEN you went BACK to the break room and got ANOTHER snack! And THAT, Tony, was your entire DAY at the office!"

Tony glanced around the room, noticing that Senior and Sarah were both giving him disapproving looks. Even McFlea and Shep regarded him with a degree of shame, raising their ears in unison at Ziva's words before flopping them down again and issuing disappointed, short doggy sighs. Now Baby Jack had plopped down in Tony's lap and he, too, peered up at his Daddy as if awaiting some sort of accounting for his father's unproductive day. Ziva narrowed her eyes right back at Tony. It was his move.

"Traitor," Tony hissed. "You'll pay for this."

Ziva rolled her eyes and, having shut Tony up for the time being, returned to watching the TV show.

The plot really was formulaic, but engaging nonetheless: A pair of police detectives, a man and woman, were investigating what Tony referred to as "your garden-variety suburban housewife slay-for-pay." A woman was suspected of having her husband killed but proof was hard to come by. Had she been having an affair? There was evidence that the woman had a past attraction to a former single male neighbor who'd suddenly moved just before the husband's death. So the detectives, longtime partners on the job, were now "playing house" as man and wife. This set-up, Tony told Ziva and Senior, was classic "UST" — unfulfilled sexual tension. It was obvious the partners wanted their relationship to move from being strictly professional to intimately personal, wasn't it?, Tony asked the room. Before he said this, though, he'd covered Jack's little ears and had Senior do the same with Sarah, who fussed, knowing she was missing out on something worth hearing.

As the show unfolded, the female suspect began coming on to the detective playing the "husband," which was part of the plan to prove her role in the murder. But it also became evident that his female partner, who'd been sharing his bed for the benefit of "making it look real," was both worried for the detective's safety while struggling with her growing feelings for him. And the suspect was sexy; the "wife" saw that the woman was intent on getting her "husband" into bed. And he was certainly playing the role of the man with a wandering eye — again, part of the plan. What if he really was attracted to the suspect? What if he didn't feel any mutual attraction for his longtime partner? Maybe she was just someone he worked with, someone he "cared for."

By show's end, the suspect had shown herself to be the one who'd put the hit out on her late husband. She'd made a somewhat pathetic move for the detective "husband" that Tony deemed a "psycho chick come-on epic fail" and had shot his female partner in a fit of rage and obsession. The detective then had to restrain himself from killing his own suspect, thinking his partner was either dead or dying, and once the suspect was properly put away, the "husband" was seen holding vigil at his "wife's" hospital bedside. The show ended with her opening her eyes, seeing him there, and the scene fading out as he admitted he was in love with her. Before the screen went black, the pair shared a tender kiss.

"See?" Tony snarked, "TOTALLY fake. NEVER happens in REAL life."

"No," Ziva sighed, looking down at her tummy, "I suppose not." She was not yet showing her pregnancy but she felt the nausea each morning.

"You let ME write one of these shows and ohhhhh yeaaaaahhhh... YOU'D see what REALLY happens on the mean streets," Tony snorted. Baby Jack stood again, this time bringing his heel right down on Tony's go-betweens. Tony yelped in pain. Senior grinned and chortled as Tony winced.

"Don't quit your day job, son," Senior said, changing the channel to the retro TV station. Sarah clapped with glee. She loved the old shows Senior enjoyed. "Now THIS show... THIS is the best spy-detective show that's ever been on TV. Ah, 1968... Your mother and I were HUGE fans, Junior. We watched before you were born and afterwards. YOU were a fan, too, as a baby. It's stylish, suave, sexy..." Senior paused. "Sarah, you didn't hear that last part."

Sarah shook her head "no," trying to unhear with little success.

"And the leading man..." Senior went on in his ultra-smooth tone. "Well, Robert Wagner... Need I say more?"

Ziva perked up as the credits for "It Takes A Thief" popped up onscreen and Robert Wagner's handsome face came into view.

"He is... quite the studbutton, Tony, is he not?"

Tony, still in real pain, sat Baby Jack on his aching lap and snarled at Ziva, then at Senior and then at a young, handsome Robert Wagner on the TV.

"Wagner..." Tony spat out dismissively. "He's okay but ... he's no McQueen."

"I think you look like him," Ziva said, knowing she was nettling Tony. But she did see a resemblance. And Senior, too, resembled the dazzing actor, Ziva thought, from what she'd seen in the few old photos Tony had of his father from the late '60s.

"I look nothing like Wagner," Tony snorted.

"That's true, son," Senior replied, winking at Ziva. "Wagner's GOOD-looking."

And everyone had to laugh, even Tony.

* * *

Later that night as they lay in bed, Tony turned to Ziva and studied her in the moonlight. She gazed back at him, amused at the sudden attention.

"I knew they'd get together — the detectives," Tony said huskily, caressing Ziva's arm.

"It was inevitable," she agreed quietly.

"Always happens that way," Tony whispered, leaning over to kiss Ziva's cheek.

"But the scene when the detectives were in bed," Ziva said breathily, "pretending to make love..."

"Totally unbelievable," Tony said, going for another kiss.

"Absolutely," Ziva replied, her mouth eagerly seeking out Tony's. "They would not have been only pretending."


	204. The Boy With The Thorn In His Side

Title: The Boy with the Thorn in His Side  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: E.J. seeks revenge on Tony.

* * *

Slamming his hand against what he termed the vending machine's "G-spot," Tony grinned and chuckled to himself when two dark chocolate bars fell from the rack. He'd be snacking like a king in minutes — no... seconds.

"Nothing beats the low, low price of free," Tony muttered as he peeled back the paper wrap from one of the chocolates. Taking a bite, he groaned with pleasure at the taste.

"This really _is_ what gets you hot. Unreal. But, you know, whatever works. Nice Fonzie move on the machine... if theft-by-taking gives you a cheap thrill."

Tony nearly bit his tongue, realizing that E.J. Barrett had once again invaded his private snack time. Hadn't she got the message last time she'd followed him to the break area? If she couldn't decode "I'm married and having an affair with you isn't going to happen," Tony thought to himself, she wasn't the hot-shot agent she thought she was.

"Excuse me," Tony said, rewrapping the candy bar, "I have to get back to my desk."

"And away from me?" E.J. asked pointedly. "What's the matter, Tony? Afraid Ziva's going to see us here together — again — and get the wrong idea? She's really got you on the short leash. Sad..."

Tony didn't want to deal with E.J. — again — but felt he had no choice. Again.

"Ziva is my wife. And I'm not the one following you around on your breaks, making suggestive comments," he shot back, annoyed.

"I didn't _suggest_ anything," E.J. said smugly. Tony glared at her.

"Unless you need to talk to me about a case or something that's strictly work-related," Tony said angrily, "stay away from me."

"Did you just threaten me?" E.J. asked, folding her arms as she narrowed her eyes at Tony. "I wonder what Vance would say about a senior field agent speaking to a team leader the way you just..."

"You heard me," Tony snarled. "And I wonder what Vance would say about a team leader sexually harassing a married agent? Especially when that married agent is married to his old Mossad buddy's daughter? Wouldn't take those odds if I were you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," E.J. hissed. She stared right at Tony. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Oh," Tony replied, taking a second to look as if he were in deep thought. "Guess that whole scene a couple weeks ago when you asked me to start having an affair with you — right here, right on my snack break — was just my imagination, huh? And me telling you to forget it — that didn't happen, either, right?"

E.J. just shrugged and offered Tony a cloying, false-innocent smile.

"You know, you do have a reputation around the office, I hear. From before you hooked up with Ziva. So... yeah. Maybe you just heard something you wanted to hear," E.J. said, cocking her head as she gave Tony a wide-eyed stare.

Now he was furious.

"The only thing I want to hear," Tony said in a low, all-too-quiet tone, "is that you've been put on the first plane back to Rota or off to some other place far away so you're not following me around the office and ruining my snack time with your innuendos."

"I don't like your tone," E.J. snapped.

"It's not my _tone _you've gotta worry about," Tony hissed.

"THAT," E.J. replied sharply, "is a THREAT." She turned to leave but whipped around to face Tony once more. "Vance will have your badge for this."

Tony stood silently, watching E.J. march out of the break area. He couldn't prove she'd been coming onto him and Vance thought highly of her as an agent. So the director probably would have his badge based on anything E.J. said about him. Vance wasn't a fan of Tony's. Or Gibbs' at the moment.

_But Ziva will have your HEAD,_ Tony thought, as E.J. faded from view.


	205. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

Title: Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony and Ziva go to Vance about E.J.

* * *

"She is more of a problem than I thought," Ziva said, sighing.

Usually, her instincts about people — and her read on how they would react when challenged — were spot-on. But Ziva had to admit she'd underestimated E.J. Barrett. This woman was a real threat. Not only to Tony, but to her as well. That Tony had a wife and two children and another on the way? Meant nothing to this woman. E.J. wanted Ziva's husband, wanted to break up Ziva's family and apparently she was brazen enough to continue her campaign even after the little "chat" they'd had in the ladies' room the first time Tony had told Ziva that E.J. made sexually suggestive comments to him.

Ziva hadn't expected that.

E.J. wasn't giving up.

She wasn't afraid of Ziva.

And Ziva really hadn't expected that.

"I tried to tell you," Tony said quietly. "She's nuts, Ziva. Makes a move on me — twice — and then acts like she never did anything. Pretends it's all MY imagination. Says she never 'suggested' anything. Crazy psycho stalker chick. And SHE'S a team leader? I bet there's an interesting story behind that promotion."

Ziva was only half-listening, though. Her mind was already on how she would eliminate the problem she and Tony now faced... without having to actually "eliminate" the problem. Those days were over. She was a mom now and those actions happened only on the job. She wasn't like her father in that regard. By now, he'd have wiped this little slate clean had it happened on his watch. A small part of her admired that about the man — his absolute decisiveness. But the biggest part of Ziva abhorred how he could sometimes view people's lives as nothing more than issues to be checked off a 'to-do' list that he claimed served a greater good. Ziva had always struggled with this concept, even when she felt threatened or betrayed. There had to be a better way.

"Ziva?"

Tony tenderly touched her arm, bringing her back to herself. Ziva's eyes met his.

"We will go to Director Vance," Ziva said firmly.

* * *

"You expect me to believe that Special Agent Barrett has been making sexual advances towards YOU, DiNozzo?"

Vance leaned back in his chair, staring down Tony and Ziva from across his desk. He raised a disbelieving eyebrow at Tony.

"It's the truth, sir," Tony said, not backing down.

"And your proof of this is...?"

Tony swallowed hard.

"I can only tell you what she said to me in the break room, Director," Tony replied. "And I've done that."

"So you have no proof."

"Director Vance," Ziva began. But the director cut her off.

"You know, I've overlooked a lot of NCIS policy by letting the two of you stay on the same team as married agents," Vance snapped. "Did it to keep Gibbs happy. As happy as Gibbs CAN be. But I'm a little tired of the running soap opera that your personal relationship has become in the office."

Vance leaned forward, glaring at Tony and Ziva.

"Understand that this is my final warning to the both of you: If I hear one more allegation from either of you against Special Agent Barrett, one of you is immediately transferred OUT of this office, you hear me? We have too much REAL work to handle for the two of you to be wasting MY time with a smear campaign targeting a fellow agent."

"SMEAR campaign?" Ziva stood, furious. "Director, she has..."

Vance stood, too, equally full of rage.

"THAT is ALL, Agent DAVID!"

He cast hateful eyes at Tony, too.

"I'll thank you to close the door quietly on your way out, Agent DiNozzo. We're done with this."

Ziva stormed out of Vance's office. Tony followed quietly, shell-shocked. He knew Vance didn't think much of him but he hadn't thought the director would so blindly defend E.J. without even fully investigating what Tony had told him. At the door, Tony looked back once more at Vance. Vance glared up at him quickly and yanked the phone receiver against his ear, barking at his secretary to get his 2:30 conference call back on the line for him.

When closing the door behind him, Tony made certain to do so as softly as possible.

* * *

They worked silently at their desks the rest of the afternoon, saying nothing to each other or anyone else. But Gibbs and McGee were away for the day, so there was nobody to talk with anyway.

"Have a nice little chat with the director?"

E.J.'s voice carried over from her desk but she didn't bother to stand in order to look at Tony and Ziva. They shot each other quick glances but chose to stay quiet.

"It's not gonna work, you know," E.J. continued, chiding them. "Vance likes me. So you can drum up all the fake charges against me you want but I'm not going anywhere."

Now Ziva could no longer stay silent. But she considered her words carefully.

"As it turns out, E.J.," Ziva said in a calm, much-too-quiet tone, "I am looking forward to getting to know you."

Ziva stood, exited her desk and walked over to where E.J. sat. Tony watched from his desk, unsure of what he should do or say — if anything.

E.J. flinched at the sudden sight of Ziva looming over her. Ziva put her hands on E.J.'s desk, leaning down to face her rival squarely. E.J. backed away, uncomfortable with the closeness.

"And I plan," Ziva whispered, "to get to know you QUITE well."


	206. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore

Title: That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Tony, Ziva and E.J. learn their fates. Slight NCIS:LA x-over.

* * *

When E.J. Barrett and Director Vance emerged from his office, two things were immediately apparent to Tony and Ziva.

One, Barrett appeared even more disgustingly smug than usual. And brash, too. She winked right at Tony as she passed by the Bullpen on the way to her own desk, cutting her blue eyes scathingly at Ziva. Ziva merely gave her the same probing look as she'd been doing for the past two weeks, ever since she'd let E.J. know that she'd be getting to know her well. E.J. hadn't realized the scope of Ziva's attention. Where E.J. went, Ziva followed. What E.J. knew, Ziva also somehow knew. And when E.J. finally complained to Vance that Ziva was treating her in a threatening manner, Vance had told E.J. he wanted to see her in his office. They'd been meeting for well over an hour. Now they were finished and Barrett looked as if she'd won some major victory. Tony had a bad feeling about the whole thing.

Two, Vance looked furious.

"DiNozzo! David! My office! Now!"

With that, he turned on his heel at the top of the stairs and marched back to his office, slamming the door. Tony and Ziva looked at each other, sighing.

"Uh-oh... Principal's office," E.J. said in a cloying tone from her desk.

Ziva began to speak but Tony, who'd already left his desk, shook his head at her.

"Don't," he whispered. Ziva took a deep, cleansing breath and headed for the stairs. Tony followed.

"It's been nice working with you," E.J. called after the two of them. Tony and Ziva both glared down at her and she smirked cruelly up in their direction. Then they continued on their way.

Tony knocked on Vance's door. He barked for them to come in.

"Take a seat," Vance snapped. Tony and Ziva did as he said.

Vance thrust two folders across his desk at them, nodding. Tony took one, Ziva the other.

"You'll need to make arrangements for childcare next week," he said. "You leave Monday. We're cross-training with Special Projects and I'd like you to share our investigative techniques with their division while you learn how they handle undercover situations. Some of our methods will help them; some of their methods will help us. We have to be prepared for all types of scenarios and the two of you are most adaptable and skilled in that area. I trust you'll return with information that will be of use to the rest of the agents here and I'll expect your written reports the week after you return. Any questions?"

Tony and Ziva were stunned. They had many questions but didn't want to change the tenor of the meeting. And so neither said anything.

"Enjoy Los Angeles," Vance said, returning to his own work.

* * *

"Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks..." Tony said, looking at the papers Vance had given him. "That's who we'll be working with in L.A. next week."

"Why is Vance sending us out West?" Ziva asked. "Do you think he is going to transfer us to the Los Angeles office?"

Tony hadn't thought about that. He sipped his coffee dolefully, staring out the window of the café. After the meeting with Vance, he and Ziva had quickly exited the office. E.J., they'd noticed, hadn't been at her desk.

"I dunno," he sighed. "I hope not."

"Tony?" Ziva began, "Do you think Vance will choose E.J. over us? I ... I told my father about ... what happened the first time she approached you. He said that I should stand up for myself and handle it. That I was being weak. That perhaps she sensed my weakness. That is why I have been board-dogging her the past few weeks."

"Bird-dogging," Tony said. "And what the hell does your father mean you were 'being weak'? There's not a weak thing about you, Ziva."

Finishing his coffee, Tony frowned and snorted as he looked at the orders in his folder again.

"Aw, the hell with it," he said. "Dad can handle the kids and you know Abby and Tim will help. So let's go hit the beach."

* * *

Emerging from the elevator, Tony and Ziva were greeted by a smiling face — Abby's.

She sat at E.J.'s desk, which was now wholly bare. All traces of E.J. had been erased. Her computer was gone. Her attaché case, which Tony had termed the "black box," was gone. Her nameplate, reading "Erica Jane 'EJ' Barrett," was no more.

Tony and Ziva stood, confused, before the place where their bitter enemy had once mocked them. Abby, reclining in E.J.'s old chair, grinned from ear to ear.

"Ding, dong! The witch is dead!" Abby sang brightly, flapping her pigtails gaily from side to side.

* * *

The swell of heat hit her the minute she stepped out of the airport baggage claim area. Also, the humidity. And the rain — a downpour drenched her new surroundings.

Not even one hour in Jakarta and she despised her new home already.

Then there was the other little insult.

Her NCIS liason, some guy named G. Callahan? well ... G. Something-Or-Other, hadn't even shown up to meet her. Nobody in this backwater jungle was organized. But she'd take care of that soon enough and there'd be hell to pay for one of these morons. This assignment, as Vance had told her in "the strictest confidence," was too important for her to let stupid little things get under her skin. Jakarta needed her drive, her intelligence, the Director had said, and taking this assignment would boost her, career-wise, on the NCIS ladder in ways that men like Gibbs or DiNozzo would never understand nor — and she loved this part, especially the way the Director had put it so conspiratorially as if it were their little secret — have occasion to experience.

She'd balked initially when Vance had said he wanted her to take the position in Jakarta. After all, it was away from Tony. And it would mean Ziva bested her. But the director didn't know — or need to know — any of that. And he had so much confidence in her. They needed her immediately. No delay. NCIS would see to all her moving expenses and handle her housing. She'd been a little surprised when Vance handed her a ticket for Jakarta. Her plane left late that evening; he needed her on that flight.

"You're our rising star, Barrett," Vance had said in his office, smiling just for her. "Best young agent I've seen come through NCIS in years. One day, DiNozzo and David? They'll be answering to you."

Naturally she'd said "yes" to the new assignment. Vance believed in her. He trusted her, not Tony or Ziva, and as long as she had him fooled, well...

Of course she'd packed and made her exit away from that old creep Gibbs and that little weird goth girl and her nerd boyfriend who acted like he knew everything. And the hell with that loser Tony and his wife. He wasn't ambitious enough, anyway. Sure, the man was sexy, but who needed a guy that wanted kids? Kids got on her nerves. And she wasn't interested in being anybody's mommy or stepmommy. So, whatever... it was Tony's loss. The sex would've been great but he'd never know.

Still and all, though, she was tired of waiting around for her NCIS liason to arrive. Waiting for anything wasn't her style. But they'd all find that out soon enough.

"I trust your flight was to your liking," a voice, somewhat grandmotherly, said from behind where E.J. stood fuming, bags soaking in the heavy, unrelenting rain. "The field office eagerly awaits your arrival."

E.J. whipped around, frustrated. Where was her liason? And who was ...

When E.J. saw who NCIS had apparently sent to meet her, she wasn't sure whether to laugh out loud or be insulted. This had to be a joke. Who WAS this? Was Vance putting her on?

"Who the hell are YOU?" E.J. snapped, dismissively regarding the diminutive woman who stood before her.

"Think of me as your new love interest, Special Agent Barrett," the small, bespectacled woman replied.

* * *

"The package has arrived," Vance said tersely into the phone. "You owe me for this."

With that, he hung up and made another call.

"Be home for dinner in twenty minutes, Jackie." The director smiled, chuckling. "Yeah... it's taken care of. She bought every sorry word that rolled off of my tongue. Yes... Yes... Yes, I'll tell Ziva you want to have a baby shower at our house. When the time's right."

* * *

Leaning back in his executive chair, Eli David had to grin.

Life was, indeed, good.

He could always depend on Leon. This he knew. Such a brilliant man. Clever. Enigmatic by design.

And his guest would soon arrive.

She delighted him, charmed him, had him begging her to stay in Israel and assist him in Mossad. Oh, the ways in which he could use her many, many talents. The woman was a legend. As a younger man, he'd sought her out and learned so much from her. If not for this brilliant woman, the IDF commando operation on Entebbe that saved 102 Israeli hostages in 1976 may never have happened. After all, it had been she who, when Mossad higher-ups had quibbled amongst themselves about what to do and how to do it, had rather frankly and simply said "Raid them." This tiny American woman, he remembered, who had only happened to be in Tel Aviv when the news of the hijacking came... well, the Mossad officers had asked her how she would deal with this and she'd answered in her straightforward manner.

Of course, she'd never claimed nor wanted any credit for Entebbe.

Just as she would prefer nobody knew about her role in this little activity, either.

Ziva had done her best, as he knew she would. She hadn't needed his prodding. That 'weak' comment? He'd had to keep from laughing when he said it. Because he knew it was so untrue.

His girl was anything but weak.

Nevertheless, a father wanted to be there for his daughter. And Eli had never cared for women who threw themselves at married men. Had this ... Barrett woman no shame? Certainly if she were such an attractive lady, she would easily find an available man with little trouble. A man who wasn't the father of his beloved Sarah and Jack. And, he'd learned, his third grandchild that was to be born.

The door to his office creaked open. He stood to greet his beloved guest, as he always did. He respected few people and feared none — except her. And his daughter. As with Ziva, this woman, he would not do battle with. The fight would not be by any means a fair one. Better always to have her as friend than foe.

"Jakarta is lovely this time of year, Eli," the little, prim woman said, addressing her old friend. "NCIS thanks you for your recommendation that Special Agent Barrett serve an open-ended assignment there with our Force Protection Detachment. Her record certainly speaks for itself. And we look forward to her being with the Indonesia office. Some agents have, in fact, served out their careers there. Permanence can be a positive. For some."

"With you overseeing Special Agent Barrett's... orders," Eli said, "I am sure she will... flourish ... in her new role."

"As with any other agent on my watch, I can do only my best," the woman replied. Eli kissed her hand and guided her to a comfortable chair. He took out some expensive liquor, well-aged, and poured them both a shot.

"Welcome once again to my home, Hetty," he said, smiling. "Israel is always the more honored by your presence." Eli raised his glass. "To ... new beginnings."

Lifting her small tumbler, Hetty Lange at last let the tiniest grin play at the corner of her mouth.

"I'll drink to that."


	207. Hello, I Love You

Title: Hello, I Love You  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Four couples make each others' acquaintance.

* * *

"You remember the last time we were in L.A., Sweet Cheeks?" Tony asked Ziva as they awaited their luggage at LAX baggage claim. "Please tell me the black bikini made this trip. Been a long, cold winter back home."

Ziva smirked, her brown eyes studying the bags circling the claim area.

"We are here to work, Tony," Ziva replied, reaching for her bag when it finally came around.

"And I'm completely focused, Ziva," Tony answered, frowning as he peered at the bags, not seeing his yet. "On our training and on you in the black bikini. Multitasking is one of my strengths. You're well aware of the others." He grinned, winking at Ziva. She rolled her eyes. "Where the hell's MY bag?"

Just then, a Hare Krishna devotee approached Tony and Ziva.

"Excuse me, sir, would you like to hear about how you can find eternal bliss in the afterlife?"

Tony snorted, growling at the man. He disdainfully glared at the Hare Krishna's flowing robe and bare, sandaled feet. The Krishna met his harsh look with a dazed, dreamy smile.

"I'd like to hear about how I can find my luggage, Mr. Sunshine," Tony snapped. "Enrich my spirit with that mystical knowledge."

Ziva began to rebuke Tony for insulting the man but was interrupted.

"Special delivery for VERY Special Agent DiNozzo."

She turned, meeting the gaze of a young woman with dark hair and large, soft brown eyes dressed as a delivery courier. Tony did a double-take, his eyes wide with surprise.

The woman smirked at Tony, handing him his luggage.

"Heh..." Tony stammered. "Uh, thanks. How'd you..."

"Special Agent Blye," Ziva said with a knowing smile. "It's good to finally meet you."

"You too, Agent David," Kensi Blye replied. "Agent DiNozzo."

"Yeah, great job there," Tony chuckled, amused. "That's... heh... that's a neat trick."

Tony turned and, seeing that the Hare Krishna was still smiling dreamily at him, snarled again at the man and made a little shoo-shoo "go away" motion with his hands. But the Krishna only brought his hands up as if praying, his smile widening. Seeing that the man wasn't leaving, Tony turned back to Kensi and Ziva. He noticed that Kensi was grinning at him.

"What?" Tony said nervously, patting his hair. Then he made sure his tie was straight. Finally, he quickly sniffed at his right armpit.

"I see you've met my partner," Kensi said, nodding behind Tony.

The Hare Krishna tapped Tony on the shoulder. When Tony turned to face him, he offered Tony a toothy grin and a little "hello" wave of his fingers before tapping at the fake "bald" skin covering his head.

"Are you sure you aren't interested in finding eternal bliss?" Marty Deeks asked Tony.

* * *

Now she realized she'd been played.

The Jakarta position? Just a way to get her out of D.C., away from Tony and Ziva and out of Vance's hair.

And she'd fallen for it — hook, line and sinker.

Stupid. She'd let herself be stupid.

Damn them for doing this to her. After that creepy meeting at the airport with that weird little woman? She'd looked her up. How had she never heard about Hetty Lange? That freaky-looking old woman was some kind of legend in NCIS and she hadn't even known who the hell she was.

_Nice, E.J.,_ she thought to herself bitterly. _Now you're stuck in this hellhole. Forever._

She blamed Tony and Ziva. And now, Vance. He'd stabbed her in the back for those two. Damn Gibbs... Guess that crazy Marine had more pull than she'd thought. But what could she do about it now? Nothing. This was her new "home," this rainy, humid, hot as hell city where she knew no one and — she had to face reality — she wasn't going to be doing much hooking up. Not a party town, she'd quickly noted.

_I hate my life,_ E.J. Barrett thought, bringing her hands to her forehead. _I've screwed up everything. For a guy who I don't really even give a damn about. What's wrong with me? Why do I always do this? DiNozzo, E.J.? Really? How desperate ARE you?_

The door to her small "office" — a converted break room in the NCIS Jakarta office — suddenly slammed open and she looked up, stunned at the interruption. A tall, scruffy, frankly greasy-looking guy strutted right into the room, pushing his shoulder-length hair back. He smirked, considering the surroundings, and then flopped down into the seat in front of E.J.'s desk without introducing himself or saying a word. Sniffing loudly, he stared blankly at E.J.

Enraged (and confused), E.J. shot up from behind her desk, glaring down at the greaseball who'd just invaded her office. Her first thought was that he needed a serious shower. And a shave.

"EXCUSE me," she said furiously, "but have you ever heard of KNOCKING?"

The man snickered. He was enjoying this.

"Damn... You ARE hot when you're pissed," he said, a crooked grin playing at his stubbly mouth. "Levin was right on about that."

"Levin? You know Gayne?" Now E.J. was intrigued. "Okay, who the HELL are you?"

The man leaned back, studied her — all of her — again and rather carelessly plopped his badge on her desk. She snatched it up, blushing as his pale green eyes fell once again on her breasts. But she didn't make an effort to cover up.

"Renko? Mike Renko?" E.J. tossed his NCIS identification back to him. "Never heard of you," she sneered, still standing. She noticed that he hadn't taken his eyes off her body. It emboldened her. "Again — what the hell are you doing here in MY office?"

He forced his eyes to meet hers. The little smirk of his that, she'd already decided, annoyed the hell out of her was back on his face. Did it ever leave?

"I always like to have a little one-on-one with my new boss when I'm reassigned," Renko said. "You get to know me... I get to know you... We figure out how we're gonna make our relationship work, y'know?"

E.J. now slowly moved to the front of her desk. She leaned down over Renko, placing each of her hands on the tops of his thighs. Strong, she thought. He didn't look like much, slumped in this chair, but she could tell he'd be amazing in bed. She had a sense about this with men. And her radar, with this Renko guy right now, was going crazy.

Deliberately, she brought her face inches from his. She wanted Renko to feel her breath on his skin. Up close, the stubble? She hated how much it was already starting to arouse her.

Renko's eyes again moved down to her breasts. That was good. She'd wanted that. But after a few seconds, she whispered, "Eyes forward, Renko."

His laconic gaze met hers. He was nothing like the men she'd always found attractive. She despised dirt and disorder. Cleanliness and organization ruled her life. And now some scuzzy jerk was turning her on. He looked so greasy, dirty... But his cologne... It was like nothing she'd ever breathed in. He smelled of gentle spices. Every nerve in her body felt raw. She didn't even know this guy and she wanted to clear the desk and take him right there.

She would, she knew. It would happen. When she wanted it to happen. On her terms.

Or maybe... on his terms. She was willing to see how it went. Something told her Renko wasn't going to let her take charge like all the other guys had. She'd be fighting him — when she wasn't making love to him. Maybe this was why... okay, maybe this was why Tony loved Ziva. Maybe she could see that now. And maybe it wasn't so stupid like she'd thought. Maybe it was... fun, not always taking the lead.

Whatever it was, though, this time, it was obvious.

Renko wanted her, too. Already. The attraction, this time, was mutual. Hell, he'd already asked Levin about her. So there was something there already.

"You were saying?" Renko asked huskily.

"First thing if you're on MY team," E.J. breathed, bringing her lips right against Renko's ear, "you'll need to take a long... hot... shower."

"I don't know where the showers are," Renko, his lips brushing against E.J.'s cheek, answered in a low tone.

"Allow me to show you," E.J. whispered, bringing her mouth tenderly, tentatively, to his.


	208. Loca

Title: Loca  
Author: rekkidbraka  
Rating: T  
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.  
Category: Romance  
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.  
Spoilers: None  
Summary: Deeks? Jealous of Tony?

* * *

Because Tony was "starving," he, Ziva, Deeks and Kensi opted for dinner at a Mexican restaurant that came highly recommended by Deeks.

"Let me guess: The name is El Mucho Roacho?" Kensi said to Deeks as he sped through the Los Angeles streets from LAX. Tony was getting carsick. Ziva, on the other hand, was rather impressed with Deeks' driving skills.

"As a matter of fact, Fern," Deeks shot back, "Mi Zorillo Poco has the best chile rellenos in town."

"We're eating at a place called 'My Little Skunk'?" Kensi asked. "Really, Deeks?"

"Fern?" Tony asked, leaning his head against the back window. He was turning green. Deeks whipped around another corner. "Isn't your name ... Kensi?"

Kensi and Deeks answered at exactly the same time, with Kensi saying "It's Kensi" and Deeks saying "Nope. Fern!"

"CAN you decide?" Ziva demanded.

"Fern was an alias of mine and TIM here can't let it go, can you, TIM?" Kensi said in a snide tone, narrowing her eyes at Deeks. He flashed her a toothy grin from the driver's side.

"Sorry, no. I can't... KIKI."

Kensi folded her arms, sat back in her seat and shook her head at Deeks. He was going to be like this all day. And they were supposed to be impressing these D.C. agents with their skills. Hetty might not be thrilled to hear back from Agents DiNozzo and David that they'd been treated to the Kensi & Deeks Comedy Hour.

"Tony," Ziva whispered, "I am confused. Is she Fern or Kiki? Or Kensi?"

"Well," Tony gasped, nauseous from the high-speed tour of the seedier parts of L.A., "we know that he's Tim."

* * *

Once seated at Mi Zorillo Poco, Kensi chatted up Ziva about how the D.C. office worked its cases, how often they worked undercover and what it was really like to work for Gibbs.

"He's a legend. And not just at NCIS. My dad said Gibbs was..." Kensi began. Ziva, intrigued, interrupted her.

"Your father knows Gibbs?" she asked.

"Knew," Kensi said quietly. "He's dead now."

"Oh..." Ziva replied. "I am sorry."

Kensi forced a kind smile.

"It's okay," she told Ziva. "But, yeah, my dad and Gibbs were in the Corps together. They lost touch, you know? It happens."

"Won't happen to us, Fern," Deeks joked, trying to lighten the mood. "You're stuck with me. You don't have to say it. I can see how happy that makes you."

Kensi rolled her eyes. Ziva snickered and then studied her menu.

"Ahhhhhhh..." Tony sighed with relief as he slid into the booth beside Ziva, "nothing like a little pit stop en el bano to recharge the old batteries. Shouldn't have had that third cup of coffee on the plane. Knew I'd pay for it later. Didn't think I was gonna make it when you took that last corner, Timmy."

Deeks frowned playfully at Tony.

"Timmy?"

"Yeah... Tim. That's what she called you in the car. Heh... funny. We got our own Timmy in D.C. You met him, right? He and the Boss came out here couple years ago for some fun 'n gun in the sun? Couldn't quit talking about all the nerd toys you guys have. Ah, McGeek..."

"Tim's just one of my aliases," Deeks said.

"Oh," Tony sniffed. "Right. Knew that. Your real name's, uh... um... heh... It was a long flight, Tim."

"Tony?" Ziva said.

"Yes, my little chimichanga?"

"Stop talking."

"Did he just call her 'my little chimichanga'?" Kensi whispered to Deeks.

"He did, my little tamale," Deeks replied, eyeing the day's dinner specials.

"Don't start," Kensi warned. Deeks only grinned, pointing out the Dos-For-Uno Margarita Gigante special to her.

* * *

"... and THEN," Tony, now on Margarita Numero Cinco, said to Kensi and Deeks, "... THEN she called... called me her Lil' Furry Butt..."

"Furry MUTT," Ziva corrected. She was only on Agua Numero Tres.

"... Furry Smut," Tony self-corrected (or tried to), "... an' thash when I knew she wash... wash in love with me." He smiled drunkenly and, taking Ziva's hand, kissed it sloppily.

"He treats me like a drag queen," Ziva said, giving Tony a big kiss on the cheek. He rested his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes. Kensi and Deeks each raised a wary eyebrow at each other. DiNozzo was toast. And... drag queen?

"Sounds like a fairy tale to me," Deeks joked. Kensi elbowed him under the table.

"And you have how many kids?" Kensi asked, trying to change the subject from drag queens and all things furry.

"Two. And... "Ziva looked down at her tummy. "One on the way. We have a daughter, Sarah, who is almost three and a son, Jack, who is almost two."

"An' ..." Tony, head still on Ziva's shoulder and eyes still closed, was back in the conversation. "An' ... TWO dogsh. Mc... McFEE an' SHEP! Besht dog... DOGSH in the world. They love their..." He hiccupped. "... their daddy."

Then Tony frowned, thinking hard about something.

"No, wait... Shepsh the... the baby... McFEEsh hish daddy... I'm a granpaw..."

Sighing contentedly, he smacked his lips and went back to dozing on Ziva. She smiled, rolling her eyes. Kensi had to laugh. DiNozzo was pretty funny. Deeks was less impressed.

* * *

When they'd dropped Tony and Ziva at their hotel, Deeks drove Kensi back to her place and walked her to the door.

"Weird day, huh?" he asked. "That DiNozzo guy's a trip. And he's supposed to be one of their top agents."

Kensi grinned.

"I like him," she said. "He's cool."

"The guy had no clue we were undercover at the airport, he almost puked in my car..."

"I've almost puked in your car," Kensi noted.

"There's nothing wrong with my driving," Deeks said.

"There's nothing right with it, either," Kensi pointed out.

"... and then he got bombed at the restaurant. HE's what we're supposed to shoot for? More like what we should shoot AT."

Kensi eyed Deeks suspiciously.

"You jealous of DiNozzo, Deeks?"

Deeks looked at her like she was crazy.

"Okay, WHY would I be jealous of THAT guy?"

Kensi looked up, thinking it over.

"Hmmm... He's a top agent... Has a hot wife... kids... dogs... Looks great in a suit..."

Deeks threw his head back, laughing at Kensi mockingly.

"Oh, so you like his fashion sense... HETTY? Sounds like YOU'RE the one with a crush, Fern."

Kensi shot him a dirty look.

"The guy's married, Deeks. And I like Ziva. So, no — get your mind out of the gutter."

Deeks smirked at her. He wasn't convinced that Kensi wasn't crushing just a little bit on DiNozzo. Married or not, the guy was good looking.

"Fern..." Deeks said, squinting as if he were putting a lot of thought into something. "Fern... DiNozzo..."

"Stop it, Deeks," Kensi said, not joking. He was starting to be a jerk.

"Fern DiNozzo. Fern and Tony DiNozzo..." Deeks went on, shooting Kensi a goofy smile as he backed away from her doorway. "Tony and Fern DiNozzo... Mrs. Fern DiNozzo... Mrs. KIKI DiNozzo!"

"Shut UP!" Kensi yelled, not caring who heard her.

"Tony and KEE-KEE... Sittin' in a tree-eeee..." Deeks persisted in a sing-songy way, skipping to his car. When he got in, he peeled out, his tail lights fading in the night.

Kensi stood at her front door, watching him speed off.

He'd been starting to piss her off but... she'd kind of hoped Deeks might stick around. For a little while, anyway.

No luck. So she went inside her apartment and, closing the door behind her, called it an early night.


End file.
